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HALF-HOURS WITH THE CHRIST 


Heaven is not reached at a single bound ; 

We must climb the ladder by which we rise 
From the lowly earth to the vaulted skies, 
And we mount to its summit round by round. 

We rise by the things that are under our feet: 
By what we have mastered of good or gain, 
By the pride deposed and the passion slain, 
And the vanquished ill that we hourly meet. 

We must follow the Christ from day to day ; 
He has marked the path to the throne of God, 
Lifting the soul from its common clod 
To climb the steeps of the heavenly way. 


H alf-hours with 

THE CHRIST M 


7 


THOMAS MOSES 

\\ 



PHILADELPHIA 

American JBaptiet publication 

1420 Chestnut Stre 

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2 nCl 189 0 «« COPIES RECEKED. 

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Topyright 1898 by the 
American Baptist Publication Society 




The Library 

of Congress 


WASHINGTON 


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jfrom tbc Society's own press 




PREFACE 


Many books have been written to transfer 
the reader back to the days of Christ in Judea 
and Galilee. This aims to bring the Christ 
into our time. We greatly need to see Jesus 
present at the dawn of the twentieth century 
— this man of Galilee who lives in the Gospels. 
How may we bring our lives into touch with 
him, into the sweet assurance that he walks 
and talks with us by the way ? The writer has 
known one woman who lived in the sunshine 
of his abiding presence, and taught others to 
behold his glory. This story presents many 
facts from her real life. May she continue to 
win others by this record, as she has by her 
happy, helpful teaching ! 


mCBOMHM 




CONTENTS 


CHAPTER PAGE 

I. An Anxious Question 9 

II. Entertainments 14 

III. House of Bread 23 

IV. Inner Conflicts Discovered 34 

V. Wise Men Worship 44 

VI. Other Wise Men 54 

VII. Preserving Care 62 

VIII. Purpose in Life 72 

IX. Between Lessons 81 

X. Revealed and Tempted 88 

XI. Choosing Companions 98 

XII. The New Home 108 

XIII. Thoroughly Committed 117 

XIV. The Wearied Toiler 128 

XV. Cana and Nazareth 139 

XVI. Welcomed Home 148 


7 


Contents 


CHAPTER PAGE 

XVII. Bethesda 158 

XVIII. Mountain Instruction 168 

XIX. Raising the Dead 178 

XX. New Teaching 187 

XXI. The Third Passover 196 

XXII. The Overflowing Cup 205 

XXIII. Toward Jerusalem 215 

XXIV. Friends at Bethany 225 

XXV. Triumphal Entry 234 

XXVI. Sentenced 243 

XXVII. It is Finished 252 


8 


HALF-HOURS WITH THE CHRIST 


CHAPTER I 

AN ANXIOUS QUESTION 

M RS. LYDIA BROWN had a hard question 
to solve. It was, however, the most in- 
teresting question of earth or heaven. She 
had two bright children now in their early 
teens, that molding period when character is 
soon made or marred. After years of ever- 
widening influence she seemed to herself to be 
left with their care as her sole mission. 

Mrs. Brown was a rare woman, whose expe- 
rience had been varied and marvelous. Her 
own conversion at the age of twelve was sim- 
ply a happy surrender of herself to Christ as 
her Saviour, to enter into his own most inti- 
mate friendship. From that hour her joyous 
confidence made Lydia a happy playmate, re- 
fining the very sports of childhood and draw- 
ing other children to her cheerful and unselfish 
amusements. 

Her childhood home was one mile from a 
9 


HaIf=hours with the Christ 


woman’s college, in Ohio, from which she 
graduated with high honors when she was 
eighteen years of age. She was at once en- 
gaged as the assistant principal in a village 
high school, where her personal magnetism 
and unselfish interest in the young people 
started currents of influence that revolutionized 
the town. 

The next year she was appointed a teacher 
in the college where she had graduated. Here 
for five years she was the beloved of all under 
her care. Her happy faith had thus far filled 
her life with constant sunshine, for a pleasant 
duty had always waited for her willing hand. 

Then she came to an unexpected crossroads. 
A young man who had been accepted by the 
Board to go as missionary to China, wrote asking 
her to consider the question of united hearts 
and united service in a foreign field. Every 
affection of her heart had intertwined with her 
work as teacher in this school for young women. 
She had met David Brown, six years before, 
when she was a teacher in the high school. 
She had greatly respected his purpose and sac- 
rifices in securing an education, and had known 
of his consecration to this work. She did not 
know that for all these years this young man 
had secretly cherished the hope that he should 
reach the shining heights of culture and char- 
io 


An Anxious Question 


acter where he might venture to ask her hand. 
Never until now had there arisen one serious 
thought that she was to be invited to share his 
life-work. 

She replied that it was a question so great 
that she must pause to seek wisdom higher 
than her own. The young man then came 
and pressed his suit with a devotion that found 
a response from her deepest womanly affec- 
tion. She became the betrothed of the con- 
secrated missionary. 

Then she began preparation for the voyage 
across the ocean. She saw a great work ready 
for her hand, all divinely planned ; hence her 
faith smiled as she bade good-bye to friends 
and native land. For ten years they toiled 
together, founding a most promising mission 
at Canton ; then they returned for a year’s 
rest. 

While in America Mr. Brown was taken 
with typhoid fever and died. Mrs. Brown 
was suddenly left with two bright children de- 
manding care and education. She moved into 
a cottage which her slender means enabled her 
to buy in her native town. She went to her 
kitchen with the same sense of divine appoint- 
ment with which she had gone as missionary 
to China. Through tears of bereavement she 
smiled her reconciliation to the new duty. 


Half=hours with the Christ 


Seven years passed, and Mrs. Brown had 
made her Ohio cottage very sacred in this re- 
tirement with her children. Fannie, the 
daughter, was past fifteen, and Barton near- 
ing fourteen. Their mother had been their 
most constant companion out of school hours. 
Fannie had inherited much of her mother’s 
cheerful, buoyant spirits. Barton was mature 
in thought, but of strong will and impetuous 
temper. He had one redeeming quality, a 
strong affection for his mother. 

These two now began to be invited to the 
neighborhood parties, with many who were 
under the dancing master’s training, and to 
whom worldly amusements were exceedingly 
fascinating. The sprightliness and courtesy of 
Mrs. Brown’s children made them great favor- 
ites, and they were forming ardent friendships. 

This was the hard question which Mrs. 
Lydia Brown was called to solve : How should 
she still keep these two interested in all that 
cultivates mind and heart for beautiful Chris- 
tian lives, and prepare them for large useful- 
ness, when their own social nature, their happy 
companions, and fascinating amusements, all 
combined to draw them into a giddy round of 
worldly pleasure ? 

If this mother, with all her experience in 
two hemispheres and her rare tact and talent 
12 


An Anxious Question 


in winning others where she wished, found it a 
difficult problem to solve, what must it be for 
the ordinary careworn mother without this 
teacher’s rare experience and special culture? 

It may interest parents burdened with the 
same anxious question, to follow this woman 
in her plans. It should interest every young 
person stirred with that searching question, 
“ How can I make the most of life ? ” What 
boy has never paused and wondered what the 
answer shall be ? 

The evening came when Fannie and Barton 
were invited to a neighbor’s to unite with two 
other young people in arranging a series of 
winter evening entertainments. George and 
Amelia Bancroft lived in the beautiful home of 
a wealthy banker near by, and their parents 
were devoted friends of Mrs. Brown. George 
was past sixteen, and was just coming to lead 
in all the youthful society of the neighborhood. 
There was already a growing excitement to 
know who should form his set. As Fannie 
and Barton were permitted to go, with this ob- 
ject understood, to spend the evening at Mr. 
Bancroft’s, it brought a very important crisis. 


13 


CHAPTER II 

ENTERTAINMENTS 

“ \/| OTHER, we shall decide nothing fully 

I I until you and Mrs. Bancroft give 
consent,” said Fannie Brown as she and Bar- 
ton left the cottage. 

“ Thank you, my daughter,” said Mrs. 
Brown as she wished her children a pleasant 
evening. Then the thoughtful mother pon- 
dered the question of this important hour. 
She desired to enchant these young people, 
not only her own children, but her neighbors’ 
also, with something safer for their winter even- 
ings than the social dance and the card table. 

It must be something toward which they 
are not driven, but drawn. Can she find it ? 
She took her Bible with an uplifted prayer 
that she might be guided to some thought of 
Scripture by which the Christian life might be 
made entrancing in its study. She had been an 
expert in innocent home games, by which her 
children were hitherto held in her affectionate 
grasp in the most tender attachment to the 
humble cottage. But she well knew that they 
had now come to the age when no games she 

14 


Entertainments 


could invent would be so attractive as the 
amusements with a score of merry young peo- 
ple of their own age at an evening party. 

But was it not possible that some phase of 
Christian truth might be found for eager, im- 
mortal souls, by combining knowledge and 
loving fellowship and happy association, that 
would be deeper satisfaction than mere worldly 
pleasure ? At least might not such a course 
of evening Christian culture be arranged as 
should greatly modify the spell of youthful 
frivolity and refine their happy associations? 

With these thoughts she opened her Bible, 
and her eyes fell upon these words concerning 
the youthful days of Jesus: “And the child 
grew and waxed strong in spirit . . . and the 
grace of God was upon him. ’ ’ Then suddenly 
there flashed upon her mind a plan of work 
which she had undertaken ten years before 
for a company of young Confucians in Canton. 
It was to follow for one hour each day the 
life of Jesus from his birth in Bethlehem to his 
final ascension from Mount Olivet. She had 
brought a group of young men from high offi- 
cial rank into entranced interest. In the 
midst of her success they were compelled to 
return home for rest. It had always been a 
mystery why her bright plans had been so sud- 
denly snatched away. 


i5 


Half=hours with the Christ 


Ah, how that fascinating dream all came 
back to her again ! The wondrous life of 
Christ unfolded to a company of royal youths 
until they should turn with eager delight to his 
service ! 

In a moment she felt a thrill of delight that 
God had been preparing her on the other side 
of the world through all those fruitful plans 
which had been so suddenly cut short, for this 
crisis in the education of her own children. 
More clearly than ever before there stood out 
to her mind the life of the child Jesus in the 
home at Nazareth. Mary and Jesus in hal- 
lowed association at that ancient hearth — the 
mind of Christ expanding with heavenly wis- 
dom — that marvelous motherhood of Mary in 
charge of the Christ who was to bless the 
world ! ‘ ‘ What a mission, ’ ’ thought she, 

‘ ‘ was granted to the mother of our Lord ! 
But ’ tis the same mission to every mother ; she 
is commissioned to watch the Christ-life develop 
in the mind and heart of her own child. ’ ’ 

As these thoughts swayed her mind she felt 
that the true Christian home was of the same 
interest to our Father in heaven as that home 
in which Jesus dwelt at Nazareth. Now her 
highest mission was presented to her in clear 
vision. 

She went at once to the beautiful home of 
16 


Entertainments 


Lyman Bancroft to return with Fannie and 
Barton. ‘ ‘ What plans have you made for the 
winter, George ? ” she eagerly asked the oldest 
of the four as they welcomed her to the con- 
ference in the library. 

“Oh, it is so difficult to suit so many 
tastes,” said George ; “we do not want to 
grieve mother, who thinks we ought not to 
give the whole winter to dancing and cards. 
Anything else we have considered seems dull 
and stupid ; so we have made little progress. 
I am glad you have come to stop our fruitless 
discussions. ’ ’ 

Mrs. Brown’s face fairly shone with her new 
hope. ‘ ‘ I had a beautiful vision while alone 
to-night, ’ ’ she said ; “I came to consult with 
you four to see if it might not become a real- 
ity. ’ ’ All were now eager to know what new 
scheme had given the ever calm and cheerful 
face such unusual brightness. 

“Tell us, mother,” said Fannie. “If it has 
made you so happy in the very thought of it, 
we should like to catch some of that joy too.” 

So Mrs. Brown then told them how great a 
privilege came to her the last year she was in 
China. For years she had longed to get ac- 
cess to the homes of the highest ranks, that 
she might teach their young people. At last 
it came. One day a leading official came to 
b 17 


Half=hours with the Christ 


inspect her mission school. He saw the im- 
provement in a class of native boys. He asked 
Mrs. Brown if she would take his two sons a 
part of each day to give them some knowledge 
of Western civilization, preparatory to travel in 
Europe. She told him that if he would ar- 
range a class from distinguished families, such 
as he would choose for their associates, it 
would give her pleasure to instruct them. 

It was arranged. Ten boys approaching 
manhood were given to her charge. They 
were choice boys, of such advantages as few 
have in that land. They were anxious to 
know of life, manners, customs, laws, in the 
countries whence came the great merchants 
and statesmen and consuls that visited China. 
After many months of cautious teaching she 
had won the confidence of the distinguished 
official who had so guardedly put these royal 
youths in her care. 

“Then,” said Mrs. Brown, “I ventured to 
tell him that all dates in Europe and America 
were kept from the birth of Jesus Christ, and 
that in the best nations of Western civiliza- 
tion, the precepts of Christ had greatly molded 
the laws and customs and manners of the best 
people. 4 Distinguished sir,’ said I, ‘would 
you be willing for me to give one hour each 
day to teach these young noblemen concerning 
18 


Entertainments 


the life and teachings of Jesus the Christ, so 
that they may be intelligent in the first prin- 
ciples of the great Western nations?’ ” 

By this time the company in the Bancroft 
library had forgotten their worry about the 
winter’s parties, and were eager to know more 
about the young Confucians of royal blood. 
“And did he consent? ” asked George, intent 
to learn more of her experience. 

“After consulting with the other parents 
interested and laying the whole matter before 
the emperor, ’ ’ said Mrs. Brown, “he returned 
to give his approval. Never has a mortal had 
greater joy than I then experienced. It was 
a privilege never before granted our mission- 
aries to enter this rank. I carefully planned a 
series of lessons on the life of Jesus, from his 
wonderful advent at Bethlehem to his ascen- 
sion from Bethany. We were in the midst of 
this entrancing study when Mr. Brown was 
ordered home for a year’s rest ; for the de- 
bilitating climate and constant toil had told 
seriously upon our strength. ’ ’ 

She paused a moment and wiped her eyes, 
for her disappointment and her bereavement 
in her husband’s death all came back as if it 
were but yesterday she parted from her attached 
Confucians never to resume her work — as if it 
were yesterday she had followed to the grave 
19 


Half=hours with the Christ 


that noble companion, leading by the hand her 
two fatherless children. Then she continued : 

“To-night it all came back to me, the charm 
of those hours with Christ ! I cannot go 
back to China. If I could, the relations of 
our missionaries with the government have 
greatly changed. My class of Confucians is 
scattered to various posts of honor. Some of 
them, I am told, are now secretaries of Chinese 
legations to various lands. But while you 
were here planning for your winter evenings 
for the months to come, I had a vision of this 
company of young people spending an evening 
or two each week around this table, studying 
character as revealed in the life and teachings 
of Jesus. I am sure if we could bring the real 
Christ before us as he walked and talked and 
taught upon earth, it would charm our minds 
as can no round of mere worldly pleasure. 
Will you four, since you have found no satis- 
factory plan for your social evenings, consent 
to make this the chief series of your winter’s 
entertainment? ” 

Mrs. Bancroft had come quietly into the 
library during the conversation. Amelia glanced 
at her mother. She was the youngest of the 
four. She had spent many Sunday afternoons 
reading “The Story of Jesus.” Now she 
caught her mother’s hand and said : 

20 


Entertainments 


* ‘Wouldn’t you, mamma, like us to take 
that for our evenings rather than anything else 
in the world ? ’ ’ 

Mrs. Bancroft smiled her assent, and watched 
with interest the face of her son. George 
Bancroft had the previous summer graduated 
from the high school, and was this year taking 
special studies, hoping to be able to enter 
Yale the next autumn. 

Mr. Lyman Bancroft, the wealthy banker 
and leading citizen, was a moralist, who prided 
himself in his honest and honorable reputation, 
and for religion contented himself with his 
clean, cultured life. He attended church on 
Sunday and respected sacred things, but he 
did not study the Scriptures, nor did he speak 
of personal religion. George was beginning 
to emulate his father, though he greatly ad- 
mired Mrs. Brown’s happy, cheerful faith amid 
all her toil and trials. When she spoke of 
Christ it was of such a tender friendship that 
he felt that her religion was not like that of 
most people he knew. 

This evening her face shone with an un- 
wonted charm as she talked of this study of 
the greatest life the world has known. George 
gave his consent to try it, a few evenings at 
least, under her guidance who had led the 
royal Confucians over this same road. 

21 


Half=hours with the Christ 


Little did Mrs. Brown realize what secret 
springs of heart were to be touched, and what 
a crisis she had been divinely led to confront. 
But “Half-hours with the Christ” at length 
became more enchanting that any gay round 
of merely worldly pleasure. Let us follow 
these lessons, and the conflicts of these young 
friends thereby discovered. Their experience 
shows the same inner battle being now fought 
among the young people of almost every com- 
munity, with too often no leader coming, in 
the hour of peril, to give conquest to the 
right. 


22 


CHAPTER III 


HOUSE OF BREAD 



'HE arrangements were completed. The 


I first evening came, and the four young 
people met in the Bancroft library. They 
were all bright, eager minds, but differing 
widely, as we shall see, in natural tempera- 
ment. Lyman Bancroft’s fine residence had 
a spacious library with a long center-table, 
which was richly supplied with choice litera- 
ture. Mr. Bancroft had advised largely with 
his esteemed neighbor of wide reading, Mrs. 
Brown, in the selection of books for his 
shelves ; hence she knew them well. 

A blackboard stood at one end of the room. 
Barton Brown was quite an expert in map 
drawing. His mother asked him to step to the 
board and give a mere outline of Palestine. 
He ran a crooked line down the center, end- 
ing in an oval irregular figure at the bottom. 
That was the Jordan emptying into the Dead 
Sea. To the left he drew another curve that 
represented the coast of the Mediterranean. 
With a rapid stroke or two more, there stood 
out a clear map of the Holy Land. 


HaIf=hours with the Christ 


Then Mrs. Brown began by saying that the 
life of Jesus clustered about four cities. She 
said it was very helpful to carry in the mind 
the location of these cities. “Will some one 
tell Barton where to locate Jerusalem?” It 
was a new thought to them. 

“Well, open to your map of Palestine in 
your Bibles,” she continued. “Notice that 
Jerusalem is on a line directly westward of the 
upper end of the Dead Sea. That one fact 
remembered will greatly aid you to carry in 
your mind a picture of the land. Jerusalem 
is twenty-four miles west of the mouth of the 
Jordan. 

“ Now, let us locate Bethlehem, the place 
where Jesus was born. Where is it from Jeru- 
salem ? Yes, south, six miles. Make a star 
at that point. Where is Nazareth? Yes, 
north of Jerusalem, and nearly opposite the 
lower end of the sea of Galilee. There is one 
more city — Capernaum, at the north end of 
this little lake through which the Jordan runs. 

“Now you have fixed the location of what 
are called the four cities of Jesus — Bethlehem, 
where he was born ; Nazareth, where he was 
brought up ; Capernaum, where he resided dur- 
ing his ministry and from which he made fre- 
quent tours all through the land; and Jerusa- 
lem, where he died. 


24 


House of Bread 


“Here at Bethlehem Jesus was born. The 
world had been looking forward to his coming 
for a long time, as we since look backward. 
All time is now divided, throughout the civil- 



ized world, ‘ Before Christ,’ ‘After Christ.’ 
Such a personage demands our attention. 
Why has Jesus made such an impress upon the 
world that we date all our letters, record all 
our deeds, measure all time, from his birth ? 
Have you thought that not an infidel in the 
25 


Half=hours with the Christ 


land can hold his lot without mentioning in 
his title-deed the birth of Jesus Christ? He 
cannot write a letter to a friend without ac- 
knowledging the ‘name above every name,’ 
in the date ! It must be a wonderful charac- 
ter that thus controls this mighty stream of 
time so that we have no way of recording our 
dates but from his birth ! We cannot study 
these events of his life, unless we get clear 
views of his character and mission. ’ ’ 

Here Mrs. Brown stepped to the board and 
wrote three references from the Bible. Then 
each of them took a Bible and turned to the 
places indicated, and then she asked them to 
fill out the three-fold mission of Christ from 
these passages. 

“What does the first scripture say Christ 
has done ? ‘ He revealed God. ’ So write that 

opposite the first. The second reference sug- 
gests a pure and holy life, a perfect model, so 
that Pilate could say, ‘ I find no fault in him.’ 
So write in the second blank, ‘ He lived a per- 
fect human life.’ The last passage insists that 
we behold him as the atoning sacrifice for sin, 
so from that we may fill the last blank as to 
his mission.” 

Then there stood out on the blackboard the 
complete outline of the earthly mission of 
Jesus Christ : 


26 


House of Bread 


John i : 18 J ( Reveal God. 

John i : 27 j- HE CAME TO-j Live a Perfect Life. 

John 1 : 29 J ( Redeem from Sin. 

“Now,” said the earnest teacher as all 
eyes were looking upon the diagram of Christ’ s 
mission to earth, ‘ ‘ you can never understand 
the life we are to study until you see this 
three-fold purpose of Christ’s life unfolded. 
This triple-lock key, and it alone, will open 
the treasures of his life. That most wonder- 
ful chapter of the Bible, the first of John’s 
Gospel, asks us to grasp this key with confid- 
ing faith as we stand on the threshold. 

“His life wrought a seamless robe of right- 
eousness for our heavenly adornment. We 
are now to watch the process of the matchless 
weaving. Three shuttles fly back and forth ; 
one carries the white thread of a perfect hu- 
man life ; another carries the blue of the skies, 
betokening his heavenly nature, his divine 
character ; the other shuttle bears the crimson 
thread of his atoning sacrifice whereby he re- 
deems from the guilt of our sins. His life 
was woven throughout with the white and the 
blue and the crimson, representing his three- 
fold mission. 

“ He is the heavenly friend sent from above 
to reveal God unto us, our Emmanuel. He 
is the spotless man that restores to earth the 
27 


HaIf=hours with the Christ 


broken mold of a true human life. Sin had 
robbed the world of a perfect model, but Christ 
restored it for our study. He presented him- 
self to take the sinner’s place and met all the 
demands of the broken law. Many did not, 
would not, understand him ; hence they re- 
jected and crucified him. ” 

Then George Bancroft recalled his first 
doubt. He had heard a neighbor talk of the 
mysteries of this subject. This neighbor, Mr. 
Blanchard, had cautiously said at their first 
conversation on the subject, that the doctrine 
that Jesus was both God and man was too 
mysterious for him to believe ; he thought 
that Jesus was a very good man but he could 
receive him as nothing more. This had 
dropped into the mind of this alert youth like 
a seed into the springtime soil. He had fre- 
quently met this neighbor since, and had 
watched for his skeptical remarks with eager- 
ness. He was much bewildered. The mist had 
gathered into doubt, a dark, confusing doubt. 

‘ ‘ Mrs. Brown, ’ ’ said he, ‘ * will you excuse 
me if I say that this subject has become such a 
dark mystery to me that I am bewildered 
whenever I think of it ? It is so deep that I 
seem to be in a lake where I can never touch 
bottom ; or, if I stay on the surface, it is so 
wide that I never find any landing-place ; or 
28 


House of Bread 


if I should ever land, I should be away off on 
the other side of our plain everyday life so 
that I should feel lonely. It makes me con- 
fused of late to think of it. ’ ’ 

4 ‘Well, George,” said the leader, “if you 
have such thoughts, our lesson has drifted to 
the right theme. Feel perfectly free to dis- 
close all your difficulties. There is one ques- 
tion you ought to ask as you begin this study : 
He claimed to be the Son of God ; did his life 
match this claim ? As we compare his life 
with all others, does it rise so far above them 
that we must say ‘ The mystery of the life is 
consistent with the alleged mystery of the 
origin ; his doctrine is consistent with the 
birth ’ ? Please take this book and read a few 
sentences that I have marked, which show how 
others have been led in this study. * ’ 

George was a fine reader, so he took the 
book with pleasure. There was a slight tremor 
in his voice, because of the first announcement 
of this inner conflict which he had kept secret 
to this moment. His reading gave a peculiar 
intensity to the words as he followed down the 
open page handed him : 

“If there be no break in the rhythm be- 
tween the sayings of the teacher and the rev- 
elation of the angel who foretold his wondrous 
birth, then this unity of mystery becomes itself 
29 


HaIf=hours with the Christ 


an argument which compels certain conclu- 
sions. If the man spoke the language of earth 
with the accent of heaven, if he encouraged 
men by his common human nature to approach 
him, and then gave them assurance that the 
human enshrined the divine, then this would 
confirm his claim to have descended from 
heaven. Are these traces of the two natures 
in Christ’s life and teachings? ” 

‘‘Now, children,” said Mrs. Brown as she 
turned to her son Barton and to Amelia Ban- 
croft, “our thoughts have turned to a subject 
which, as George said a moment ago, is like a 
deep lake where one could not touch bottom ; 
have we gone down out of your sight ? or are 
we sailing away to the other side, many leagues 
from the place you were waiting to gather fruit 
with us ? Have you lost interest ? ’ ’ 

“Oh, not at all, Mrs. Brown,” said Amelia. 
“I was reading only last Sunday with my 
mother the story of the angel song to the shep- 
herds, ‘ Peace on earth, good will to men ’ ; I 
thought while George was reading, ‘ Why, yes ! 
his life was just like the angel song’ ; he was 
always giving peace and breathing forgiveness 
to men.” 

“And, Barton, are you with us?” said his 
mother, “or have you fallen overboard into 
George’s deep lake?” 


3 ° 


House of Bread 


‘ ‘ I am on board, ’ ’ said Barton, with his 
usual vein for the humorous side, “in front 
with the captain, peering out to see if any ice- 
bergs are ahead ! ’ ’ 

“Amelia’s thought of the angel song to the 
shepherds being found in the life of Christ,’’ 
said Mrs. Brown, “reminds me of my class of 
Confucians. When we came to this account 
of the angel choir singing beneath the stars, 
with the shepherds near Bethlehem for their 
listeners, they sat entranced. ‘ Read it again, ’ 
said Kwang Yu, the son of the chief official. 
The boys gathered close about the reader, and 
their lips moved and their eyes glistened. 
When we came the second time to the words, 

‘ Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, 
which shall be to all people,’ Kwang Yu was 
greatly moved. He sat with bowed head, as 
if listening to catch the distant strain. When 
the last words were reached concerning the 
shepherds’ visit to find the Child of Bethle- 
hem, ‘ But Mary kept all these things and pon- 
dered them in her heart,’ he said, ‘Teacher, 
was the mother wondering what the life would 
be, if angels came to tell the joy of his birth ? ’ 

‘ ‘ Then I said to this young Confucian, 

‘ That you may be the more eager to know of 
the teachings of the one who caused the angels 
to sing, “Peace on earth, good will to men,’’ 
3i 


Half=hours with the Christ 


suppose we now turn to a few words that fell 
from the Master’s lips as he sat once upon the 
mountain side and taught the people.’ I 
opened to the Sermon on the Mount and read 
nearly through the fifth chapter of Matthew. 
When I came to the words, ‘ I say unto you, 
Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, 
do good to them that hate you, and pray for 
them which despitefully use you and persecute 
you ; that you may be the children of your Father 
which is in heaven,’ so deep and intense was 
the impression produced upon the mind of 
one that he exclaimed, ‘ Oh, how beautiful, 
how divine ! This is the truth ! ’ and for many 
days he would often repeat, c Love your en- 
emies,’ and then exclaim, ‘How beautiful! 
Surely this is a teacher from heaven ! ’ ” 

Then said Fannie Brown, “Why, Mother, 
how that did answer to the Confucians that 
question, ‘ Is the doctrine consistent with the 
birth ? ’ His words exactly matched the angel 
song, ‘ Peace on earth, good will to men ! ’ ’ 
“Yes,” replied Mrs. Brown, “they now 
went forward eagerly, desiring to see if every- 
thing matched in the life and teaching as did 
the angel song and the mountain sermon. 
And now, George, are you ready to go on to 
see if the man spoke the language of earth with 
the accent of heaven, asking all the way if the 

32 


House of Bread 


mystery of his birth is matched by the mystery 
of his life ? For you well know that we cannot 
dismiss anything as false because of its mystery ; 
then we must stop eating, since we cannot 
fathom the process of digestion. We must, on 
that ground, refuse to drink at the spring ; for 
who knows the secret siphons by which it rises 
to the hillside ? The light has mysteries that 
baffle the greatest philosophers ; shall we there- 
fore banish the sun and grope in darkness? ” 

Just here Mr. and Mrs. Bancroft came to 
the library. “ May we interrupt our student 
company a few moments ? ’ ’ said Mrs. Ban- 
croft. ‘ ‘ Bridget has brought from the kitchen 
a plate of hot doughnuts which we thought all 
might enjoy together.” 

“Certainly,” said Mrs. Brown, “and we 
shall be very glad to have you join us, for we 
now begin a new chapter in our study. ’ * 


c 


33 


CHAPTER IV 


INNER CONFLICTS DISCOVERED 

M OTHER,” said George Bancroft, “you 
know my weakness for hot dough- 
nuts when they come steaming from the kitchen ; 
yet I do declare, I have become so interested 
that even hot doughnuts can scarcely tempt 
me. I never told you about it for fear it 
might grieve you ; but Mr. Blanchard started 
a doubt in my mind, over at the store, a few 
weeks ago, about Christ being anything more 
than a good man. Since that I can scarcely 
hear prayer to Jesus without the thought, 
‘ Praying to a man ! ’ But I think this study 
is to settle that question forever. That doubt 
made me very unhappy. I dreamed lately 
that I started across a field, and before I knew 
it my feet were sinking in a marsh, and the 
more I struggled to get out the deeper I sank 
into the mire. When I woke I thought it was 
a picture of my condition ever since I began 
to doubt what you had taught me to believe.” 

“Well, my son,” said Mrs. Bancroft with 
moistened eyes and tender voice, “you have 
shown a great change in your manner for sev- 
34 


Inner Conflicts Discovered 

eral weeks. I have wondered what had put 
that strange foreboding and anxiety into the 
mind of one of your age. I trust your feet 
will soon stand on the solid rock of assur- 
ance. ’ ’ 

“Now to this most interesting lesson,” 
said Mrs. Brown after their refreshments, “and 
we shall be glad to have Mr. and Mrs. Ban- 
croft remain with us, if they are so disposed. * ’ 
Mr. Bancroft readily consented ; for his son’s 
words about becoming already entangled in a 
mesh of doubt from one remark of the noted 
skeptic of the town, made a deep impression 
on the father’s mind. This neighbor he had 
known from his boyhood. He well remem- 
bered that Mr. Blanchard when a young man 
had read Paine’s “Age of Reason,” and that 
it had changed his whole manner of life. 
Ever since then he had been known as an un- 
happy doubter, standing apart from the quiet 
church-going community. Mr. Bancroft now 
thought to himself that it would be sad indeed 
to see George wander into the same sort of 
separation from friends and from happiness. 
He therefore remained to watch the effect of 
this study upon his son, rather than from pres- 
ent interest in the subject. 

“We have already noticed,” continued 
Mrs. Brown, “that the shepherds were guided 
35 


Half=hours with the Christ 


by angel bands to welcome Jesus to Bethle- 
hem. They represented the large class of 
toilers in the world. Tending flocks, or fish- 
ing for the markets, or working in the fields, 
or building houses, were the great multitudes. 
Jesus came to the weary, heavy-laden toilers, 
to give spiritual rest and lighten every burden. 
These shepherds represented the world’s 
masses. Good tidings of great joy for all 
people, was the heavenly message to them. 
But shall these good tidings be worthy of the 
wise men of the earth ? Will this same Christ 
bring through the carpenter’s home a wisdom 
and wealth of intellect that shall draw men 
from the schools of philosophy? Next comes 
a prophecy that he should be the Christ of the 
learned as well as the unlearned. Fannie, 
will you read the story of the wise men com- 
ing to find the promised Saviour? Yes, it is 
Matthew that records it.” Then Fannie read 
beginning: “ Behold, there came wise men 
from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is 
he that is born King of the Jews? for we have 
seen his star in the east, and are come to wor- 
ship him.” 

“Now, notice carefully,” said the leader, 
“that these men found their guiding star con- 
firmed by the clearer light of Scripture. Thus 
guided, they came to Jesus and worshiped 
36 


Inner Conflicts Discovered 

him. Then they opened their treasures and 
presented unto him gifts, gold and frankincense 
and myrrh. This is to me a vivid prophecy 
hid in the historic fact. This scene at his 
birth was to be matched by the scenes of his 
life, and his earthly life was the programme of 
the ages to follow. Jesus Christ has had the 
wise men coming to him ever since. As the 
star and the Scripture prophecy united to direct 
the wise men from the East, so science and the 
Bible yet mingle their light as men come to 
worship the Christ.” 

“Why, Mrs. Brown,” said George, “I saw 
a statement in the newspaper last week that 
the developments of science in this century 
had overthrown a large part of the religious 
beliefs of the churches, and that the best minds 
were now dismissing as vague superstitions the 
things they commonly taught. ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ I saw that too, ’ ’ said Barton Brown, 
“and I wondered if it meant that the things 
in the Bible were all going, and all these facts 
about Jesus too ! ” 

“Well, if my boy of fourteen whose father 
loved these truths so well that he gave his life 
to go to China to tell them to those who had 
not heard of Jesus, is wondering whether our 
religion is all superstition, it is surely time that 
we begin this study in real earnest, ’ ’ and Mrs. 
37 


Half=hours with the Christ 


Brown’s face fairly shone with the confidence 
of divine guidance in entering upon this plan 
of study. “ I feared, Barton,” she continued, 

4 ‘ that our conversation might be drifting away 
from your interest, and that you might be con- 
cluding that we were now landing far away on 
the other side of the lake, ‘forty leagues to 
the east,’ as George suggested. 

“But if you too have gathered up these 
rash statements from the newspapers, we shall 
do well to follow these wise men and observe 
that their star led them to Jerusalem to in- 
quire of the clearer prophecy. They lost the 
star until they stopped awhile to read their 
Bibles. Then when they started on, in the 
light of Scripture prophecy, behold, the star 
came again ; for they were now safely guided 
upon the right road. So to-day the light of 
science stops far short of satisfaction to a seek- 
ing soul that will not take counsel from the 
Scriptures. 

“Suppose I feel a sense of guilt within my 
soul and ask the stars, ‘ How may I find peace 
and pardon ? ’ the stars are dumb, they answer 
not a word. I ask the rocks beneath my feet, 
and they are silent as the grave. Science may 
suggest my load of guilt, and start me out in 
quest of some Deliverer, but always stops short 
of abiding rest. But when I ask of the sacred 

38 


Inner Conflicts Discovered 


word where I may find the Prince of Peace, 
and then set out upon the way it points, there 
always comes clearer evidence, even from the 
shining stars, that I shall find him. When 
the wise men took advice from the prophecy 
found in Jerusalem, and then obeyed the di- 
rection by climbing the hills toward Bethle- 
hem, the star returned with new clearness. 
Had these men refused to follow the clearer 
light of prophecy, and returned to their old 
home satisfied with their former star-gazing, 
they would have done what some are doing 
to-day, who do not test the Bible by pursuing 
the search along the Bethlehem road. There 
are wise men still, however, who find science 
and the Bible in perfect harmony, as these 
men of old were led to joyful worship by the 
guidance of star and prophecy. ’ ’ 

Mrs. Brown’s words gathered new inspira- 
tion and pathos since her own son, as well as 
George Bancroft, had revealed an open ear 
and ready mind to questions of doubt. It 
was the first intimation she had received that 
either of them knew this inner conflict of 
soul. 

She had learned enough this evening to see 
that it was well to pause with the worshiping 
wise men longer than she had intended. She 
had not before realized that these two bright 
39 


Half=hours with the Christ 


boys, reading the daily papers that so frequently 
report with enticing head-lines the lectures of 
noted skeptics, were compelled to think along 
these lines. She did not now realize how far 
their busy thoughts had gone. But a new 
revelation dawned upon her mind. She saw 
that we are living in a new age. She caught a 
vision of the great company of American 
young people pushing through high schools 
and colleges with minds quickened to seize 
new thoughts, and taught to glorify our ad- 
vancing age. As never before she saw their 
religious peril. She thought of her class of 
royal youth beyond the sea, who had been 
taught that Confucius was the world’s greatest 
teacher, and then carefully schooled from 
childhood in his learned maxims. How diffi- 
cult to reach beyond that prejudice ! Are 
American youth, before they know the Christ, 
being schooled against him ? 

She arose and walked the room a moment, 
until her mind calmed from these rising 
thoughts. Then she told them that a new 
vision had dawned upon her. “I believe,” 
said she, “I have just awakened to the reality 
of things. At first I was inclined to blame 
my boys for their slumbering thoughts of 
doubt. Now I catch a vision of our new age. 
Boys are now compelled to grapple with skep- 
40 


Inner Conflicts Discovered 

tical thought in early youth. It flies in the 
air. Satan is after them young ; we must 
steal a march on his Satanic Majesty ! We 
must journey this Bethlehem road with the 
wise men ; we must find this ‘ House of 
Bread * before their appetite is dulled with 
chaff. George, do you believe that wise men 
still worship the Christ?” 

4 ‘That is the very question that I want an- 
swered,” said George, “before I can take 
real interest. It troubles me to read so often 
that the distinguished scientists have found 
that religious beliefs cannot endure the light 
of the nineteenth century.” 

“Mother,” said Barton, “I read a few 
days ago only that a new religion called by 
some word meaning ‘ the wisdom of God, ’ 
had arisen, and was likely to eclipse Christian- 
ity. I wish we could know that really wise 
men to-day receive Christ and worship him 
just like these men that came to Bethlehem.” 

“Then shall we all vote,” said Mrs. Brown, 

‘ ‘ to give a lesson to wise men worshiping 
Christ in our age as devoutly as the men of 
old? ” 

This was the united conclusion. Then said 
Mrs. Brown, “It is now half-past nine ; and 
I suspect that the wise men stopped over night 
at Jerusalem and took a good refreshing sleep 
4i 


Half=hours with the Christ 


before they went the rest of the way. Whether 
they did or not, I am quite sure that wise stu- 
dents like these, who must be in school to- 
morrow, should now quiet the brain for retir- 
ing.” 

“ I must thank you, Mrs. Brown,” said 
Mr. Bancroft, ‘ ‘ for this pleasant hour. I am 
inclined to beg the privilege of joining the 
children in your future lessons. In my busy 
life, I confess, I do not give enough attention 
to this subject. I have always been what 
might be called a believer in the truths of the 
Bible ; yet, as Barton has said, I am often 
surprised at statements in the papers. I see 
by this lesson that I need to take my place 
with the children, and read these old truths in 
the light of to-day. ’ ’ They all expressed their 
delight at the thought of Mr. Bancroft study- 
ing with them. 

‘‘Certainly,” said Mrs. Brown, “since it 
pleases the rest of our group, I must not ob- 
ject; though I had only thought of our four 
young people, and of trying to bring the 
Christ of the Gospels so near that we all might 
know him as a more intimate friend. Re- 
cently I received a letter from an old acquaint- 
ance of my husband that greatly impressed 
me. In it was this : ‘ It has always seemed 
to us that if we could have been close to 
42 


Inner Conflicts Discovered 


Christ during his life in the body upon earth, 
we would have caught his spirit and become 
so changed by it that to live as he lived and 
taught, would have become the engrossing 
thought and purpose of our lives. We be- 
lieve that to know Christ is to love him, to 
worship him, to will to be like him continually. 
It was this glorious seeing of Christ that made 
the disciples what they became. Many did 
not receive Christ because they did not be- 
hold his glory ; but how it changed those who 
did ! We live in a better age in some ways, 
but to most of us Christ seems a long way off. ’ 
i 1 These words, ’ ’ said Mrs. Brown, ‘ ‘ made 
me feel that we do not walk and talk with 
Jesus enough, as he lived that earthly life 
among the people. But now you have wel- 
comed the coming, you must speed the parting 
guest, as says the proverb. Good-night.” 


43 


CHAPTER V 


WISE MEN WORSHIP 

W E shall not follow into all the thoughts of 
Lyman Bancroft, the wealthy banker, 
during the days which came before the next 
lesson, nor will we wait to witness the full 
inner conflict of his son George, following the 
disclosure of his disturbed faith. It is per- 
haps enough to say that both were eager for a 
second study. This model citizen, every- 
where esteemed for his pure morals and devo- 
tion to public good, was no little disturbed by 
the thought that truly wise men do come to 
the Christ and openly acknowledge him. His 
conscience seemed to have a new tongue now, 
which kept ever repeating, ‘ ‘ The wise men 
worshiped him. The wise men worshiped 
him.” Then he thought to himself how he 
had come to despise the citizen who stands off 
one side and looks on ‘ 4 patronizingly, ’ ’ when 
a good cause needs his open and earnest es- 
pousal. He wondered if that was not the way 
in which he had been treating the Christ. Thus 
there came a sense of humiliation never felt 
before. The march of the wise men to wor- 
44 


Wise Men Worship 

ship and witness at Bethlehem touched his 
heart with new meaning. 

George had again in the meantime met Mr. 
Blanchard. A sort of attraction had sprung 
up between the two. This man observed 
how eagerly the youth drank in his words 
about Christ and Socrates both dying alike as 
deluded reformers, and that he would as soon 
worship the one as the other. There was a 
peculiarly warm grasp of the hand given when- 
ever he met George that held and charmed 
the earnest boy. Still he felt a strong draw- 
ing toward the coming lesson, ‘ ‘ Do wise men 
still worship Jesus ? ’ ’ 

To Mrs. Brown the lessons had taken a very 
unexpected turn. She was surprised that the 
rich banker, making no profession of religion, 
had decided to attend her lessons. It was a 
still greater surprise to learn that George was 
already caught in the web of doubt from 
which it was not easy to escape. But more 
amazing than all else was the fact that her own 
son of fourteen was alert to subtle phases of 
skepticism that would question the very foun- 
dations of her own faith. 

She said to Barton before going to the class 
that she feared the lesson which George craved 
concerning the wise men of to-day might not 
interest him. But Barton insisted that if really 
45 


HaIf=hours with the Christ 

wise men did now receive Christ, just as the 
wise men who came to Bethlehem, he wanted 
to know it. 

The hour came. All were promptly at the 
table in the Bancroft library. They remem- 
bered well the theme from the previous even- 
ing, that the wise men being led to Bethlehem 
by two guides, the star and the Scriptures, 
were a prophecy that other wise men would 
ever follow in their footsteps. Said Mrs. 
Brown pleasantly : 

‘ ‘ Mr. Bancroft, your coming to-night re- 
minds me of that interesting scene in the early 
ministry of Christ when the rich ruler of the 
Jews came by night to Jesus. I wish it might 
be as profitable to you as it was to Nicodemus ; 
for one of Christ’s best friends was made by 
that visit. The wise men from the East were 
prophetic of Nicodemus’ coming. Was Nic- 
odemus also a prophecy of to-night ? ’ * 

“ Perhaps I ought,” said Mr. Bancroft, “ to 
do as did Nicodemus, come alone, instead of 
disturbing the children.” 

But Amelia said, “Oh, papa, how nice that 
we can all be together ! ’ ’ And Fannie and 
Barton were equally proud to have this dis- 
tinguished citizen journeying with them. 

“We are going to call witnesses from our 
own century and modern times to-night, to 
46 


Wise Men Worship 


see whether wise men still find the stars of 
heaven and the Scriptures going hand in hand 
to lead them to worship Jesus. Seeing that 
unabridged dictionary standing upon the tripod 
with open page saying, ‘ I am ready to speak, ’ 
I think we will call its author, Noah Webster, 
to the stand. It is true he was not strictly a 
scientist, yet a very wise and influential man ; 
was he not, Mr. Bancroft ? ’ * 

“Indeed he was,” said the banker; “he 
was the special friend of George Washington 
and of Alexander Hamilton, and was one of 
the most influential advisers in the adoption 
of the Constitution of the United States. 
But I was not aware that he gave any decided 
testimony on this subject. If Noah Webster 
is to witness, his voice should have weight. ’ ’ 

“ George/ ’ said Mrs. Brown, “will you 
turn to the preliminary matter and read on 
page eleven a paragraph which I have 
marked ? ” 

With much surprise that he was sent to the 
dictionary to find prophecy fulfilled, he read 
aloud the account of Webster’s conversion. 
Mr. Bancroft was deeply moved. He had of- 
ten said that this generation did not know 
enough about what this distinguished scholar 
had done in bringing thinking men to the sup- 
port of Washington and the Constitution. 

47 


Half=hours with the Christ 


“Here is another Nicodemus coming to 
Christ, * * said Mrs. Brown. ‘ 1 1 want all to 
notice how this learned man of purest morals, 
but somewhat skeptical for twenty years of his 
life, now at the age of forty goes into his study 
and alone with his Bible and his God exam- 
ines carefully the testimony. Soon he finds 
his objections removed, and to use his own 
language to a friend afterward, he felt con- 
strained to cast himself down before God, 
confess his sins, and implore pardon through 
the merits of the Redeemer. Now observe 
this wise man going back to his family, call- 
ing them together, telling them that until now 
he had neglected the thing most important. 
Then with deep emotion he reads the Scrip- 
tures and leads them in prayer. Soon by the 
side of his own children he confesses Christ 
in the church.” 

“Why, mamma,” said Barton, “I shall 
never look into the dictionary again without 
thinking that this book was made by one of 
the wise men who came to J esus ! ’ * 

“At least, my son,” said his mother, “I 
hope when you read, as you did last week, 
that only the simple-minded and unlearned 
worship our Saviour, you will remember that 
Noah Webster, after the most careful search, 
yet with all his learning, cast himself down 
48 


Wise Men Worship 

upon his face and implored pardon through the 
name of Jesus for so long neglecting to serve 
him as his Lord.” 

‘ ‘ This seems to me even more wonderful, ’ ’ 
said Mr. Bancroft, “than the worship of the 
wise men of old. ’ * 

‘ ‘ He is a worthy leader of the company that 
journeys toward the Christ of Bethlehem in 
this nineteenth century,” said Mrs. Brown, as 
she watched the faces of the four young people 
who were sent daily to Webster in all their 
school work. 

Fannie Brown had the past week been read- 
ing “Ben Hur,” by General Lew Wallace. 
The scene of the three wise men, as they first 
met east of the Jordan, was fresh in her mind. 
“Mr. Webster,” said Fannie, “did much as 
the Grecian wise man in ‘ Ben Hur M ” 

“ How was that, Fannie ? I do not exactly 
recall it, ’ ’ said her mother. 

So she repeated as accurately as she could : 
“As they rested their camels, preparing to 
journey together in search of the Christ, each 
one told of his coming. Said the Grecian : 

‘ My people were given wholly to study, and 
from them I derived the same passion. It 
happens that two of our greatest philosophers 
teach, one the doctrine of an Immortal Soul ; 
the other the doctrine of One God, infinitely 
d 49 


Half=hours with the Christ 


just. The schools were disputing about a mul- 
titude of subjects, but I pushed them all aside 
but these two, God and Immortality, as alone 
worth the labor of solution. And while I 
mused a shipwrecked Jew swam ashore. I re- 
ceived and took care of him. He was learned 
in the history and laws of his people. He 
taught me that the God of my prayers did 
exist. Nay, more ; he said the prophets who 
in the ages which followed the first revelation 
walked and talked with God, declared he 
would come again. He told me further that 
the second coming was at hand — was looked 
for momentarily in Jerusalem. When the Jew 
was gone I was alone, and I chastened my soul 
with a new prayer, that I might see the King 
when he was come, and worship him. One 
night I sat musing and praying in turn ; and 
behold I saw a star suddenly arise in the dark- 
ness over the sea ! And I heard a voice 
saying, “Thy faith hath conquered ; with two 
others thou shalt see him that is promised, 
and be a witness for him ! ” In the morning I 
took shipping for Antioch ; there I purchased 
this camel and am come hither. With thought 
only of God and Eternity, I come to worship 
the King at his coming. ’ ’ ’ 

As Fannie recited these burning words her 
spirit caught a new inspiration. She had been 
5o 


Wise Men Worship 


much under the influence of George Bancroft ; 
for a year past the rich banker’s son had been 
her ideal of manly thought. There were some 
confidences between them that even their 
watchful parents did not know. George trusted 
Fannie with some inner doubts which he had 
whispered to no other. He had told her of 
his high ambition of great scholarship, when 
he should know what was mere superstition 
and what was true learning. It was Fannie’s 
growing hope that she might follow up the 
same shining heights and always be able to 
share this confidence, whatever pinnacle of 
wisdom and fame he might reach. 

Hence, for a few months past her early 
Christian trust had become somewhat ob- 
scured. Her mother had noticed a cool re- 
serve in their hours of devotion, quite unlike 
her earlier happy experience. But this even- 
ing as Fannie recited the story of this Grecian’s 
faith, as he pushed aside all great philosophies 
but the truths of God and immortality, and 
started on the long journey to see and worship 
the Christ, until across sea and land he is 
nearing Bethlehem, she laid her hand in that 
of her mother at her side and looked into her 
face with the same sweet joy and trust as at her 
conversion three years before. 

George sat opposite and saw the enkindling 
5i 


Half=hours with the Christ 


rapture in her face which he could not fully 
understand. But Fannie and her mother were 
one again in spirit ; they knew the presence of 
the risen Christ. So after a pause George, 
somewhat embarrassed, asked: “But, Mrs. 
Brown, are there real scientists who worship 
Christ and reverence the Bible as did Noah 
Webster? ” 

“Yes, George, we must not forget that we 
meet to study that very question this evening. 
But now that Fannie has called our attention 
to ‘ Ben Hur, ’ it suggests the way in which that 
book originated. The author tells us that he 
himself was troubled with doubts, and promised 
a distinguished skeptic to make careful examina- 
tion ; that he began the study an unbeliever, 
and ended an assured Christian. His book 
was a golden gift that he laid at the feet of the 
Christ of Bethlehem. It is scented with the 
myrrh and sweet incense of the rich treasures 
of the wise men of old.” 

“Why,” said Amelia, “it seems as if the 
wise men of the Bible lived now and were 
coming here ! ’ ’ 

“You would better look out the window,” 
said Barton with a twinkle in his eye, “and 
see whether the camels are in sight. ’ ’ 

“Well,” said Mrs. Brown, “I am glad to 
see this lesson has not taken us out of sight of 
52 


Wise Men Worship 


the children. I feared we might have drifted 
beyond their interest. But if they are looking 
down the street to see the white dromedaries 
approaching, laden with the royal treasures for 
our King, surely these are living pictures. But 
George is waiting to see if a nineteenth century 
scientist is in the procession. Is Bethlehem 
real to them, or only a superstition ? ’ * 

Just here Bridget stepped in with hot choc- 
olate, and Mrs. Bancroft asked if all might not 
pause a few moments for refreshments. “You 
have given me,” said George, “some very 
unexpected names in literature which I was not 
prepared to hear, men as eminent in religion 
as in letters. So I am eager to press on. * ’ 


53 


CHAPTER VI 


OTHER WISE MEN 


ET Sir John Herschel cross the ocean to 



I bear witness here to-night, ’ ’ said Mrs. 

Brown, as she opened a volume giving the 
testimony of eminent scientists. “It is not 
well,” she said, to multiply names. Let 
rather the distinct, positive statements of a 
few eminent and best-known scholars be fas- 
tened upon the memory. The discoveries of 
Sir John Herschel were very important, and 
his well-known honesty of purpose and accu- 
racy of training give great weight to these 
words : ‘ All human discoveries seem to be 
made only for the purpose of confirming more 
and more strongly the truths contained in the 
sacred Scriptures.’ This distinguished man 
seems to utter his surprise at the overwhelm- 
ing testimony of the new truths found in the 
natural world confirming the Scriptures. It is 
just as we might expect from the opening tes- 
timony of John’s Gospel to Christ : ‘ All things 
were made by him.’ Surely his works will 
confirm his words. ’ ’ 

Then Mrs. Brown handed George the book, 


54 


Other Wise Men 


saying, * ‘ I want your eyes to follow these lines 
from the renowned Professor Dana, of Yale. 
I know, George, that you have an ambition 
to be at Yale in another year. Perhaps you 
have wondered whether her most distinguished 
scholars still receive the Bible into reverent 
hands and worship under those old elms as de- 
voutly as did Noah Webster at the beginning of 
the century. So please read this paragraph.” 

George was eager to see this testimony from 
the well-known scientist, and so read with in- 
tense interest through these concluding words : 
‘ * ‘ The grand old book still stands ; and this 
old earth the more its leaves are turned over 
and pondered, the more it will sustain and il- 
lustrate the sacred word. ’ ’ ’ 

Said Mrs. Brown : ‘ ‘ Science has made great 
advance in the past two hundred years ; but 
from Sir Isaac Newton, who led the way into 
the newer heavens that modern science has re- 
vealed, to the very latest revelations of the last 
star that has been discovered, honest men have 
found nothing to quench the light of the Bible 
and the most devout Christian faith. Said 
Newton, ‘I account the Scriptures of God the 
most profound philosophy’ ; and in his last 
years, with all his honors as a scientist, he laid 
aside his telescope to write as his last book a 
commentary on Revelation. ’ ’ 

55 


Half-hours with the Christ 


But George’s doubts were very reluctant to 
quit the field. Mr. Blanchard had recently 
advised him to read Shakespeare, saying that 
if he wanted “inspiration,” he would find it 
there instead of in old Jewish legends. So 
through this latest suggestion the battle was 
renewed. Rather than acknowledge his satis- 
faction, he recalled the skeptic’ s statement that 
1 ‘ Many merely human writings seem to show 
greater evidence of inspiration than the Bible.” 
So George was prompted to say : 

“Do not Shakespeare’s writings show as 
deep thought and profound wisdom as the 
Bible ? And if so, would not that show that 
all good books are inspired just alike ? ” 

Mrs. Brown was silent for a moment, be- 
cause of her surprise at his quoting this argu- 
ment so common among confirmed skeptics ; 
hence George felt a little pride at his own po- 
sition. Mrs. Brown was only feeling a deep 
pity for his poison of soul, and was thinking 
of her own children’s being so much under his 
influence. She at once recalled having seen 
an extract from Shakespeare’s will. Her face 
lighted with her confident faith as she said, 
“George, did you ever see a copy of Wil- 
liam Shakespeare’s will? ” 

“No, ma’am,” said George; “but what 
has that to do with this question ? ’ ’ 

56 


Other Wise Men 


“Then please hand me the encyclopaedia 
from the shelf back of you.” He reached 
for the proper volume and she read these clos- 
ing words from his last will : “ ‘ I commend my 
soul into the hands of God my Creator, hoping 
and assuredly believing through the only merits 
of Jesus my Saviour to be made partaker of 
life everlasting.’ ” 

George listened with complete surprise. 
Soon he said, “ He must have been a very de- 
vout Christian to put that in his will. ’ ’ 

“Surely,” replied Mrs. Brown ; “ and it is 
said that the Bible molded his language and 
furnished his strongest delineations of charac- 
ter. He is a very important witness. He is 
one of the acknowledged wise men who 
brought all his great treasures of mind to 
Christ and fell down and worshiped him.” 
Thus, George, Shakespeare himself acknowl- 
edges that all his spiritual light is drawn from 
the Scriptures. His teacher, he assures us, was 
Christ, who alone came from the bosom of 
the Father — the Christ who became incarnate 
in the word. How forcibly he teaches us that 
all safe books upon religious life shine with bor- 
rowed light ! They are clocks set by the sun. ’ ’ 
The evening had quickly gone. The lesson 
had done a work of great importance to clear 
their minds of prejudices that prevented their 
57 


Half=hours with the Christ 

looking toward the Christ with clear vision. 
Mr. Bancroft said : “ I thank you, Mrs. Brown, 
for giving our children these important facts. 
If I could have known them when I was young 
it would have changed my whole life. Yet here 
they are in my library and I never knew it ! A 
Christian surely need not be ashamed of his 
belief if he is standing beside Newton and 
Herschel and Dana and Webster and Shakes- 
peare ! ’ ’ 

“I should not be ashamed to stand by 
Jesus alone,” said Fannie; “but it is pleas- 
ant to feel that he has had so many wise men 
coming to worship him. ’ ’ 

A few days ago Fannie could not have 
spoken so confidently. George looked at 
her with some surprise, for he was conscious 
that she too had been bewildered, and her 
former condition of mind had seemed to bring 
her nearer to his own thought and sentiment. 
This shining faith and happy testimony seemed 
now to put a barrier between them ; hence his 
expression became sad and disturbed. Mrs. 
Brown did not understand the reason of his 
disappointed look, so she thought it a favora- 
ble time to fix this lesson, and said : 

“George, I am deeply anxious to remove 
from your mind the mistaken notion that 
Jesus has not devout worshipers among the 
58 


Other Wise Men 


wisest men of the age. These men and 
many others have gone down into the earth, 
and up into the heavens, and out into all the 
deepest labyrinths of human thought, and yet 
have found nothing inconsistent with their 
most ardent devotion to our Saviour. You 
admire the marvelous sagacity and rugged 
statesmanship of Mr. Gladstone. Do you 
not know that he has written an earnest work 
entitled, ‘ The Impregnable Rock of the Sa- 
cred Scriptures ’ ? Did you not read recently 
the statement of a city missionary in London, 
that he found an old man sick and alone in a 
dingy garret, whose employment had been to 
sweep the street-crossings near the Houses of 
Parliament ? When he asked the sick man if 
no one had been in to see him, he replied, 

‘ Mr. Gladstone came and read the Bible and 
kneeled down and prayed with me!’ O 
George, are you unwilling to be in company 
with such men as Mr. Gladstone, and to turn 
your steps to follow the wise men toward 
Bethlehem to find the Christ ? ’ ’ 

There was a pathos in her voice that George 
had not before observed, and he made little 
reply. The leader felt that it was well to close 
the evening lesson here, that the facts which 
the young man had been eager to discover 
might receive more careful thought. 

59 


Half=hours with the Christ 


When Mrs. Brown and her children had 
gone, George went immediately to his room. 
He seemed to find the props that had sus- 
tained his doubts dropping away. He had 
been deeply interested to know if truly the 
wisest men did now follow Christ, but it had 
been from a mere sense of ambitious pride. 
Such a motive did not have strength to move 
him toward the Christ of Bethlehem, bearing 
all his best gifts to cast at his feet. But hon- 
est meditation, bereft of foolish prejudices, 
was much to have gained. 

Mr. Bancroft tarried in the library when all 
his family had retired. He was surprised to 
find himself so suddenly aroused to deep re- 
ligious reflection. The whole question of 
studying the life of Christ, as a matter of his- 
tory in some dim past, had taken such an un- 
expected turn to the living present, that his 
own town seemed a Bethlehem, and he felt 
almost inclined to look out into the street, as 
the children had suggested, to see if there were 
not some unusual stir ; and the old question, 
“Where is he that is born King of the Jews ? 
for we have seen his star in the east, and are 
come to worship him,” seemed an audible 
voice from a great procession of wise men 
coming out of the centuries. The great 
mountains of human merit upon which he had 
60 


Other Wise Men 


been so long standing, gathered from his hon- 
orable dealing and upright citizenship, all 
wasted away. There was now only one thing 
of satisfaction to an immortal soul, and that 
was to know the Christ who came to Bethle- 
hem. 

As he sat alone in the library, his eye 
caught sight of a picture on the wall. It was 
faith clinging to the cross with a serene hope, 
while the billows rolled below. That cross had 
never seemed needed in his past reflections. 
Its very sight had often stirred his main objec- 
tion to Christian truths ; to his sense of moral 
purity and pride, why should that cross be pre- 
sented ? Then there came the words of Noah 
Webster, a man of the most spotless morals in 
the sight of men, when in his library alone, 
“he felt constrained to cast himself down be- 
fore God, confess his sins, and implore pardon 
through the merits of the Redeemer.” Med- 
itation had begun its work, and history and 
science were lifting the Christ of Scripture to 
new interest. There came a deep yearning in 
Mr. Bancroft’ s heart ; it was to know more of 
the Christ the wise men sought and worshiped. 
He thought, how strange it was that the study 
was all arranged for him to sit down like a 
little child and be taught concerning his life ! 


CHARTER VII 


PRESERVING CARE 

D URING the next few days Mrs. Brown’s 
thoughts were busy about her own son. 
Barton, as we have said, was of a mature mind 
and affectionate disposition, but of a highly 
wrought nervous temperament and strong will. 
He had a keen taste for reading and his active 
mind was alert to every form of thought. His 
mother was surprised almost daily to hear him 
speak of things in the papers that had es- 
caped her attention, or were passed over as 
best not to be observed. There were times 
when his will was so strong and his temper so 
hot that he reminded her of an engine with a 
full head of steam, bounding away over the track 
with no one aboard capable of managing its 
mighty force. Mrs. Brown well knew the dan- 
ger to such a boy unless his powers are brought 
under wise control. She wished therefore to 
bring much out of the study of the youthful 
Christ. Her next lessons were arranged with 
much thought and prayer. 

When they came together in the Bancroft 
library she announced as the theme, “The 
62 


Preserving Care 

preserving care over the infant Jesus.” She 
began : 

‘ ‘ The sweetest lesson of our life is here un- 
folded from the divine protection over the 
Christ. It is again prophecy in history. 
Christ was to reveal the great facts of every 
true human life. The life of trust is the only 
happy life. Our Heavenly Father’s gracious 
care of his own is the first lesson we need to 
learn. Wise men come to worship, but wicked 
Herod at the same time is plotting destruc- 
tion. It is always so. Forces of evil as well 
as of good are about us. Only a secure trust 
in our Father’s care can give a restful soul 
amid the perils of evil. 

“Joseph and Mary would seem to be pre- 
paring to remain in Bethlehem. But God 
warns of danger, and directs their flight to 
Egypt. Now how shall this humble carpenter 
leave his bench and make such a journey ? ” 

They took their Bibles and read the ac- 
count. One pointed out upon the map the 
way to the south, and then the lonely journey 
across the desert. They pictured their com- 
ing into that land to dwell in seclusion. It 
was asked if they would not suffer from want, 
or be suspected of evil design ? 

“Now,” said Mrs. Brown, “is there any 
intimation that they have been carefully pro- 

63 


Half-hours with the Christ 


vided against these emergencies? Has any 
unexpected supply dropped into their hands ? ’ ’ 

Then for the first time the others saw a 
hidden meaning in the gold of the wise men. 
“Do you think these men brought that gold 
for this journey? ” said Amelia in surprise. 

“They no doubt brought it as the expres- 
sion of their heart devotion,” said Mrs. 
Brown ; ‘ ‘ but do you not suppose they gave 
just as you would make a gift to a friend to- 
day, to be used as would most add to the com- 
fort of that friend? It was to me a most 
beautiful providence for the needs of the 
hour. Must they make speedy flight for their 
safety ? The gold had been put in their 
hands for the emergency.” 

“But would they not be suspected,” said 
George, “and thus in danger by remaining 
in hiding in Egypt ? It does not seem that it 
was a very honorable position in which to be 
thrust. ’ ’ 

“It is not what we seem,” said Mrs. Brown, 
“but what we are, George, that is to be the 
chief thought. The world has this very com- 
mon and dangerous motto, ‘To seem is indis- 
pensable ; to be is a matter of indifference. ’ 
If they carried an honest purpose, and went at 
the divine command, perhaps the rest would 
take care of itself. But I think I see a mar- 
64 


Preserving Care 


velous provision to lift them above suspicion, 
and provide for a most honorable abode in 
Egypt. Did the wise men bring nothing but 
golden treasure as their gift ? ’ ’ 

4 ‘Yes, they brought frankincense and 
myrrh, ’ ’ said Fannie ; ‘ ‘ but could these gifts 
help them ? ’ ’ 

‘ * Think a moment ; what was the chief 
merchandise from the far East to Egypt in 
those days?” replied the mother. “Yes, you 
are right ; myrrh and other sweet spices found 
valuable market for Egyptian embalming and 
priestly service. The Eastern venders not 
only found ready sale for these treasures, but 
were themselves welcome and honored visitors. 
This family could carry considerable value in a 
very small package. Thus they would be wel- 
comed and protected as honored guests. It 
was all in accordance with the promise, ‘ I will 
deliver him, and honor him.’ In this mar- 
velous care of Christ that he might fulfill his 
aiission, was pledge and prophecy of Provi- 
dence over every trusting disciple. Every step 
in the life of Jesus is filled with lessons of faith 
for us . 1 ’ 

Mr. Bancroft had never felt so deeply im- 
pressed as now with the great mission of Christ. 
He had supposed all his life that the only 
mission of Jesus was to die on the cross, while 
e 65 


HaIf=hours with the Christ 


he had not even seen the spiritual side of 
Christ’s dying ! There came now a new view 
of that wonderful life. He saw importance in 
union with Christ so as to enter into the secret 
sonship with the Saviour, as never before. It 
lifted the whole plan of the gospel into such 
beauty and blessing to all classes and conditions 
of men, as had never dawned upon him till 
this moment. But he was so accustomed to 
keep silent about his religious thoughts that 
he only manifested his interest by his rapt at- 
tention. 

Mrs. Brown now turned their attention to 
the great persecutor, Herod, who had been 
foiled in his strategy to destroy Jesus. She 
asked them if they supposed that Herod had 
always been such a monster of cruelty as he 
appeared now in sending his officers to slay 
these innocent children? “It is true,” she 
said, “this is a little thing for him, when we 
remember that he had before murdered his 
mother, his noble wife, Mariamne, and her two 
sons. The study of Herod the Great is full of 
important lessons. He grew to be this mon- 
ster of wickedness from a youth of great 
promise. He was the result of uncontrolled 
jealousy.” 

Then Mrs. Brown asked Barton to read this 
description of the man : 

66 


Preserving Care 


“ Herod was a man of fine physical powers, 
rare force of intellect and will, keen insight, 
calm presence of mind in the midst of diffi- 
culties, and daring courage. The combination 
of these qualities fitted him to be a general 
and a ruler. Nor did he lack generosity and 
noble magnanimity. But a bad environment 
and a passionate nature turned him into a 
heartless, despotic, and suspicious tyrant.” 

Then they took up Herod the Great for a 
study. It was deeply impressed on them how 
this youth must have been one of great prom- 
ise. His talent was of fine order. His taste 
in architecture excelled all others of that age. 
Under him rose the new city of Caesarea ; the 
old city of Samaria was rebuilt in great splendor. 
Herod built a royal palace on Mount Zion, 
rebuilt the temple, and at Jericho adorned 
another palace for himself, where he died in 
remorse and wretchedness after a reign of 
thirty-seven years, and in the very year of 
Christ’s birth. 

When they had a full view of Herod’s char- 
acter Mrs. Brown went on to say: “I am 
touched with sadness when I consider this 
man. He had the talent of Paul. They prob- 
ably had much the same ambition, in the be- 
ginning of life. One was converted, and all 
his powers of mind and heart were purified 
67 


Half=hours with the Christ 


and all his aims ennobled ; so he became a 
rich blessing to many nations. The other 
allowed a spirit of jealousy to grow into hate 
and revenge, and he is remembered as a mon- 
ster of cruelty. Do you see any wonderful 
lesson to the world in the fact that Herod, 
called the King of the Jews, such a heartless 
tyrant, should have died of a most loathsome 
disease while plotting death to his own friends, 
that such a king should have died the year that ' 
Jesus was born ? ” 

It was Fannie, whose heart was now aglow 
with her new love for Christ, who could see 
her mother’s lesson, so she said : “Why, Jesus 
was born to be the true King of the Jews ; and 
would it not mean that Christ was going to 
bring a reign of love instead of hate, peace 
instead of cruelty, purity instead of loathsome 
disease ? ’ ’ 

“Yes,” said Mrs. Brown, “it seems to 
me that it was one of history’s great object- 
lessons. A voice seemed to say, Let cruel, 
bloodthirsty Herod die, for there is born this 
year unto you Christ the Prince of Peace ! He 
is come to relieve the world of that old sinful 
monarch, Selfishness, and to place on the 
throne of every heart Love, with her scepter of 
glory to God and good will to men. It was in 
the eternal fitness of things that the king who 
68 


Preserving Care 


had become a vile monster should die in rot- 
tenness and disgrace, the very year that Jesus 
was born heralded of angels as Christ the 
Lord. ’ ’ 

Then Mrs. Brown’s thoughts reverted to 
her class of Confucians when they became so 
entranced with this character of Jesus as he 
proclaimed, “Love your enemies, do good to 
them that hate you.” So she said that she 
hoped this contrast between Herod and Christ 
would have the same effect upon her “royal 
Americans ’ ’ that it had had upon her class of 
“royal officials” beyond the ocean. 

Just at this time the papers were full of ac- 
counts of “The World’s Parliament of Re- 
ligions” in session at Chicago in connection 
with the Columbian Exposition, for these 
“Half-hours with the Christ” began the same 
autumn. George Bancroft’s mind was in con- 
dition to watch eagerly for whatever might 
seem new in religious thought. He had read 
the account of the opening of this marvelous 
convention, and noticed that the secretary of 
the Chinese legation in Washington had 
spoken at the Parliament of Religions. 

“What was the name of the leading Confu- 
cian in your class,” said George, “which you 
mentioned to us in our first lesson ? ” 

“Kwang Yu was the eldest, and the bright- 
69 


HaIf=hours with the Christ 

est mind, ’ ’ said Mrs. Brown. ‘ ‘ But why do 
you ask, George ? ’ ’ 

“I was reading to-day,” he replied, “that 
the secretary of the Chinese legation to the 
United States was present at the opening of 
the Parliament of Religions and delivered a 
brief address. His name sounded much the 
same as that of your leading Confucian. ’ ’ 
Then George turned to the paper and read 
the name as the Honorable Pung Kwang Yu. 

‘ ‘ I was wondering, * * continued George, 
“whether the Pung might not be some official 
title attached, and this distinguished gentle- 
man really be your old friend, since you said 
that you had learned that some of your class 
had been appointed to these secretaryships.” 

“I thank you for calling my attention to 
this fact,” said Mrs. Brown. “It is indeed 
quite possible that you are right in your sur- 
mise. The Pung as prefix might be attached 
as a title of honor. I must try to find out by 
some means whether this representative of 
China is my old pupil. ’ ’ 

Then they took a review of the leading 
thoughts of the evening lesson, the teacher 
asking what had impressed each one. Mr. 
Bancroft said in conclusion that he felt that a 
very important lesson to the boys was this : 
The wreck which Herod made of great talent 
70 


Preserving Care 


and opportunity by not governing his jealous 
spirit, and by failing to cultivate the better side 
of his nature. ‘ ‘ The same thing, ’ * said he, 
“ ruins many of noble talent to-day. Every 
boy passes through a crisis from fourteen to 
seventeen ; if he fails to school his temper and 
passions then, he is in danger of making a 
wreck of his opportunity. This lesson may 
be of great importance to our sons, Mrs. 
Brown. ’ * 

“It should draw them,” said Mrs. Brown, 
“to a love of the Christlike spirit, surely. To 
mold character, as in molding clay, we need a 
perfect model. There is but one such. We 
are to hasten on in our study to see character 
at its best. ‘ When Saul saw Christ, he became 
Paul,’ is a sentence that has stirred my heart 
lately. Our dear boys, as we all, Mr. Ban- 
croft, should mold their characters after the 
only perfect model. But our next lesson will 
put this thought clearly before us in the first 
recorded words that fell from Christ’s lips.” 


7i 


CHAPTER VIII 


PURPOSE IN LIFE 


EORGE BANCROFT had reached a very 



vJ important decision. He had determined 
to make an honest investigation. He was 
conscious of having been under the influence 
of Mr. Blanchard. He felt that an ignorant 
prejudice had for a time shut out the light from 
his mind. He saw how easily one drifted into 
such a condition that he could not receive the 
truth, and he felt now sincere pity for their 
neighbor who had recently held such a power 
over him. He had already seen some of 
Mr. Blanchard’s strong arguments against the 
Christian faith melt away under his own investi- 
gation in his father’s library. He recalled how 
unhappy those doubts had made him, and he 
felt a peculiar gratefulness for the few facts that 
had come into full assurance. So he said to 
himself, ‘ ‘ I will make an honest investigation. ’ ’ 
When he reached this point he felt a great 
barrier removed. Since the evening that Fan- 
nie Brown had gone home with shining face 
clinging close to her mother’s arm, she had 
seemed so independent of all his doubting sug- 


Purpose in Life 


gestions that George could not approach her 
with his old confidence. But after the latest 
lesson he retired to his room with the feeling 
that he had been very much like old jealous 
Herod, jealous because Jesus had come to the 
throne of her heart. So the thought came to 
him, “ If I had gone on in my blind prejudice, 
I should have soon been ready like Herod to 
attempt to destroy Christ out of my way. In- 
deed I had already tried to shoot my arrows of 
doubt within that heart. ’ ’ 

When he next met Mr. Blanchard it was in 
an independence of mind he had not felt for 
many weeks. 

“How do you get on with Shakespeare?” 
inquired the skeptic; “don’t you think it 
better inspiration than the Bible ? ’ ’ 

“I have been interested,” said George, 
“in noticing the many places where his 
thoughts seem drawn direct from the Scrip- 
tures, and so I have been examining the en- 
cyclopaedias, and I find he was a great lover of 
the Bible, reading it so devoutly that his own 
language was molded by it. And I found 
that in his will he committed his soul to God, 
trusting in the merits of the Christ of the 
Scriptures. This has given me, Mr. Blanchard, 
new faith in the Bible, if it has helped to make 
Shakespeare what he was. ’ * 

73 


HaIf=hours with the Christ 


Mr. Blanchard was completely surprised at 
the change in George’s mind. “ I have never 
seen such statements concerning Shakespeare, ’ ’ 
he replied ; “ I think there must be some 
mistake about it. ’ ’ 

“I thought you did not know about it,” 
said George. ‘ ‘ I wish you would come in, 
this afternoon, to our library ; I should like 
to show you these facts. ’ ’ 

Mr. Blanchard said that some day when he 
had time he would talk further with him. 

They all came together at the evening lesson 
with increasing interest. They had read care- 
fully all the Scripture concerning the flight to 
Egypt, and felt a peculiar interest in Joseph 
and Mary with the child Jesus, waiting in the 
same safety and honor in the strange country 
as if they had been wealthy merchants, because 
the wise men had presented them with the 
precious gifts that made them welcome visitors. 
God’s overruling care of those who follow his 
bidding seemed more assured and precious 
than ever before, as they followed the holy 
family back to their old home in Nazareth led 
by divine guidance. 

All were drawn nearer to each other as they 
came nearer to Christ in the Gospels. One of 
the number read the visit of Jesus to the temple 
at twelve years of age (Luke 2 : 40-52). 

74 


Purpose in Life 


“These verses,” said Mrs. Brown, “con- 
tain all that is said in the Bible concerning the 
youth of Jesus. Not a word that he uttered 
until he was thirty years of age is recorded, 
except this one sentence to his mother, ‘ How 
is it that ye sought me ? wist ye not that I 
must be about my Father’s business?’ All 
that wonderful life of Jesus at Nazareth to the 
very beginning of his ministry is veiled in these 
words from his own lips, and the simple state- 
ments of Luke that ‘The child grew, and 
waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom : 
and the grace of God was upon him. ’ ‘ And 

Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in 
favor with God and man. ’ Curiosity has in- 
vented much concerning Christ’s doings and 
sayings during his childhood and youth. In 
the early centuries many books were written, 
filling up this time with many noted miracles 
performed by Jesus. But the very reading of 
these books as compared with the New Testa- 
ment shows that they are spurious statements 
which imagination has attempted to supply. 
But why have all these years been passed over 
in silence in the Bible account of that wonder- 
ful life?” 

To an ambitious youth who has been stirred 
by the noise of the world, it seems impossible 
for a great life to dwell so long in retirement. 
75 


Half=hours with the Christ 


Barton Brown had many dreams of rushing 
early into some public arena and astonishing 
the community. He was amazed at this long 
obscurity in a model life. It seemed utterly 
opposed to all his hopes and aspirations. His 
eyebrows knit and his face showed a rising spirit 
of protest. His mother read his thoughts and 
had anticipated his disappointment. She de- 
sired to mass all their forces of thought at this 
point. 

“There are two things,” said Mrs. Brown, 
“brought side by side here in the life of Jesus 
that are of greatest importance. There was a 
clearly grasped purpose of life seen in Christ’ s 
first recorded words, ‘ I must be about my 
Father’s business,’ and yet his life is hid in 
obscurity until he is thirty years of age. In 
these two things he is the most desirable model 
for all the world. Many a youth is nothing 
more than a chip drifting down-stream, ready 
to drop into any whirlpool of froth and filth. 
The gospel lifts the curtain of Christ’s youth 
just long enough for us to see the clear, noble 
resolve that filled all his mind at the age of 
twelve. He steps aside from his own mother, 
even, for a single day, that the whole world might 
see that it was his own distinct recognition of 
God as his Father, and a high mission volun- 
tarily chosen which stirred his own soul. Do 
76 


Purpose in Life 


my children all notice this great first utter- 
ance of Jesus that is given for our study?” 
Mrs. Brown drew every eye to her searching 
gaze. She believed that it had been divinely 
ordered that this one thing should stand alone 
revealed in all the youthful life of Jesus ; that 
his whole youth was darkened, except at one 
point, and then the light turned upon that 
great noble purpose. 

“Can you not all see,” said Mrs. Brown, 
“that if all the daily routine of his youthful 
days had been revealed, this one all-important 
element might have been left in obscurity ? 
So the Gospels have obscured everything else 
that this might attract our attention. Do you 
see how the curtain lifted upon Jesus at the 
age of twelve, that its early importance might 
be impressed ? How clearly it says, Children, 
don’ t drift ; don’ t be a chip ; awake to a noble 
life ; be in haste about it ! 

“ George, you had your photograph taken 
last June, on the very day you graduated from 
the high school. It was the only picture you 
had taken all last year. When you are gone 
from home that picture will mean more than if 
it had been taken on any other day. The 
Bible has seen fit to give us but one portrait 
of Jesus during all his youth. What day was 
it best to choose, do you think ? I am sure it 
77 


Half=hours with the Christ 

has been chosen in divine wisdom, to photo- 
graph that day when he stood in the temple 
and announced his deep purpose of soul. 

“ Now turn to that quiet life in Nazareth,” 
continued Mrs. Brown. ‘ ‘ Remember, it was 
the one model life for all the world. It was 
lived in sympathy with the great masses who 
are in obscurity and humble service. A life 
of great publicity would be no help to them. 
He took upon himself the humble, obedient 
life that best fits for after years of strength and 
influence. Take this book, Barton, and read 
a few sentences from an eminent student of 
both the life of Christ and the life of men to- 
day. ’ * 

Barton took the book which his mother 
handed him, and noticing that it was Farrar’s 
“ Life of Christ,” read these words : “ ‘Herod 
might indulge in the gilded vices of a corrupt 
age and display the gorgeous gluttonies of a 
decaying civilization ; but he who came to be 
the Friend and the Saviour, no less than the 
King of all, sanctioned the purer, better, sim- 
pler customs of his nation, and chose the con- 
dition in which the vast majority of mankind 
have ever lived, and must ever live. The world 
hardly attaches any significance to any life ex- 
cept those of its heroes or its splendid con- 
querors. These are, and must ever be, the 

78 


Purpose in Life 


few. But Christ came to convince us that a 
relative insignificance may be an absolute im- 
portance. He came to teach that continual 
excitement, prominent action, distinguished 
services, brilliant success, are not essential 
elements of true and noble life, and that 
myriads of the beloved of God are to be found 
among the obscure. ’ ’ ’ 

“ There you may stop, Barton,” said Mrs. 
Brown ; “ when you are a little older you will 
enjoy reading that entire book. It is full of 
instruction gathered from a wide reading of 
the history and customs of that age. I only 
wanted you to catch the thought that there 
are many reasons why so little is said about 
the youth of Jesus at Nazareth, and why it 
was a life lived in the plain everyday humility 
of toil and obscurity, as most lives must be 
lived that Jesus came to help. If he were 
going to reveal a true human life for the 
world’s study, would you want him to be a 
sort of Alexander the Great, or a Napoleon? 
Would it not be better to tell us simply that 
he increased in wisdom and stature, and in 
favor with God and man, that at twelve years 
of age he had a deep, noble purpose of mind 
and heart that boldly announced itself in these 
earnest words, ‘Wist ye not that I must be 
about my Father’s business ? ’ ” 

79 


HaIf=hours with the Christ 


The evening had quickly passed. It had 
been a heart-searching lesson. Never before 
had the need of a fixed purpose seemed so 
important to these young people. Only one 
of the four, Fannie Brown, had passed into a 
settled union with Christ, or knew fully what 
such an experience meant. She for a time 
had trembled under the influence of George’s 
doubts. Now she felt not a waver; her face 
glowed with her clearer knowledge of the true 
Christian life. She felt that it was a crisis in 
the lives of George and Barton. She now 
longed, not to follow them up to some dazzling 
height of fame, but that they all should enter 
into that life of Jesus that lost sight of all but 
a burning ambition to fulfill life’s real mission. 

As they rose to go, George said what every 
one felt, “Life has now more meaning than I 
ever saw in it before ; and it all revolves about 
just one thing, a clear, clean, earnest pur- 
pose. ’ ’ 

“Yes,” said Fannie; “a purpose like 
Christ’s, George ; good-night.” 


80 


CHAPTER IX 

BETWEEN LESSONS 


HE next few days were days of much 



I thoughtfulness. Amelia Bancroft, the 
youngest of the group, saw for the first time 
what becoming a Christian meant. The latest 
lesson, which showed that Christ’s purpose at 
twelve years of age was the only thing told us 
about his youth, stayed in her thoughts. “A 
boy or a girl without a purpose is only a chip 
drifting down-stream to be caught in some 
whirlpool! Don’t be a chip; awake and 
serve the Lord,” kept ringing in her ears. 
She went over to Mrs. Brown’s the next after- 
noon and said to her that she wished she knew 
how to have just such a purpose as Jesus had. 

Mrs. Brown told her that conversion was 
coming to Jesus and asking him to implant 
that purpose. Then they turned to the words 
of Christ and read, “Come unto me all ye 
that labour and are heavy laden, and I will 
give you rest,” and Mrs. Brown said these 
words are fitted for life’s opening, though 
spoken near the close of Christ’s. Then she 
told Amelia that when any one wanted to be 


F 


81 


Half-hours with the Christ 


like Jesus, it was God’s loving Spirit drawing 
them into his kingdom ; and that Jesus here 
tells us that if we ask him, he will give us what 
we seek. “Amelia, do you want this gift 
now?” she said. 

“I do, ” was the earnest answer. 

Then they bowed and prayed. After Mrs. 
Brown had asked that this child might now 
find rest because she came to Jesus with all 
her heart, she told Amelia to tell Jesus just 
what she wanted. 

Amelia said, ‘ ‘ Lord, take my sins away ; 
give me a clean heart ; make me like Jesus in 
the temple ; give me his love for our Heavenly 
Father.” 

Then Mrs. Brown said, “Amelia, read the 
next verse. ’ * 

She read, “ ‘Take my yoke upon you, and 
learn of me ; for I am meek and lowly in 
heart ; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. ’ ’ ’ 

“Do you see, Amelia, that the yoke means 
obedience to Jesus? He says that then you 
will find rest. There are two rests. One is 
the given rest, when you come to him with all 
your heart. Then he says that you will always 
be finding another sweet rest if you go on 
obeying in his meek and lowly way. And it 
is an easy yoke and a light burden to obey 
him, when you have his Spirit. Amelia, do 
82 


Between Lessons 


you want both these, given rest and found 
rest ? ’ ’ 

The girl put her hand in Mrs. Brown’ s hand 
and with glistening eyes and earnest face re- 
peated these words : ‘ ‘ Trusting in the Lord 
Jesus Christ for strength, I promise him that I 
will strive to do whatever he would like to have 
me do,” and Amelia Bancroft’s happy heart 
gave a shining face. In studying about Jesus 
she had been won to him and had caught his 
spirit. They both walked over together to 
Pastor Little’s study and had there the sort of 
inquiry meeting that gladdens any teacher’s 
soul. 

Lyman Bancroft had been as much inter- 
ested in Jesus at twelve announcing his clear 
purpose for life as any child could be. That 
evening he had lingered with Mrs. Bancroft in 
the library after the others had retired. He 
said to his wife, “flow much I missed in not 
having some intelligent Christian lead me over 
this lesson when I was the age of our children. 
It has always seemed such a mystery that the 
Gospels said almost nothing about the life of 
Christ from his birth till he entered on his 
public ministry, that I have sometimes doubted 
whether it could be an inspired record. It did 
not seem reasonable that he could be the Son 
of God dwelling on earth, and all his life not be 

83 


Half=hours with the Christ 


written out. But seeing that he was showing 
us also a true human life, it seems the only 
proper thing just to show his great burning 
purpose to serve God at twelve years of age, 
and then that he lived a quiet life in subjec- 
tion to his parents, growing in favor with God 
and man. It seems now as though if anything 
more had been said it would have spoiled the 
model. ’ ’ 

Mrs. Bancroft had lived with her husband 
for nearly twenty years, but this was the first 
time she had ever heard him speak so freely of 
any real interest to know more of Christ. 
Though he was a noble man and a model hus- 
band, the fact that he was not an avowed 
Christian had put a barrier to the deepest 
satisfaction of her soul. Since her wedding 
day there had not been such union of heart as 
she now felt upon his turning his thoughts to- 
ward Christ and confidence in his word. She 
answered : 

“Lyman, I have often wondered too, why 
there was so little said about all those years of 
Christ’s life ; but I have not doubted that 
there was some wise purpose in not revealing 
it all ; I have trusted the Lord in what I could 
not understand. But it is pleasant to see so 
much wisdom in it. I am glad to have this 
lesson for our children’ s study. How beautiful 
84 


Between Lessons 


it does all appear to have this great Christian 
purpose stand out alone as the one thing need- 
ful ! Both George and Amelia have been 
deeply impressed to-night. You were moved 
with the account of Noah Webster’s conver- 
sion. I was most impressed to learn that Mr. 
Webster and his children all came out to- 
gether. ’ ' 

“ If I had only seen this life of Christ in my 
youth ! ’ ’ said Mr. Bancroft. ‘ ‘ I have prided 
myself so many years on my moral life that it 
is hard to acknowledge my mistake.” 

“But you greatly respect Mr. Webster’s 
decision, ’ ’ said Mrs. Bancroft, ‘ ‘ in humbly 
bowing like a little child and telling his family, 
and afterward the community, that he would 
now follow Christ. You would only be taking 
your place with the wise men who came and 
saw Christ, then bowed and worshiped him 
and presented their best gifts. ’ ’ 

Then they both knelt side by side and sought 
to yield their hearts and their home anew to 
Christ. 

George revealed to no one a disposition to 
yield to the personal claims of Christ. He 
was intellectually convinced of the truths of 
Christianity and took enjoyment in little dis- 
cussions with Mr. Blanchard, for he could now 
confute many of the skeptic’s objections. His 
85 


Half=hours with the Christ 


ambition to enter Yale and become a great 
scholar made him very studious in his prepara- 
tion. He already found that a careful study 
of the life of Christ touched so many subjects 
and was so greatly widening his vision of life 
and men, that he yielded himself to Mrs. 
Brown’s lessons with great satisfaction. The 
frivolities of the evening parties lost their charm 
to him. The young people wondered what 
change had come over George Bancroft. 

But Barton Brown was a perfect enigma. 
The one most needing this lesson of life’s true 
purpose seemed least affected by it. It was 
evident at times that there was a great conflict 
going on in his mind, but Satan seemed to 
gain the victory ; then Barton’ s will would be 
more stubborn and his temper more impetuous 
than ever. His mother did not always know 
where he had gone when evening came, as she 
had formerly ; and when she discovered his 
associations she was surprised to see that he 
was not so choice in his companions as before. 
Yet at times he showed a marked thoughtful- 
ness and devotion to study and the duties at 
home. He was evidently passing through a 
crisis. On which side victory would come 
could not be foretold. 

Fannie had entered the woman’s college, 
boarding at home. She also entered now 
86 


Between Lessons 


most heartily into her mother’s plans for reach- 
ing Barton and George with this spiritual uplift 
that was coming to all the rest who were study- 
ing the life of Jesus. George occasionally told 
Fannie of his discussions with Mr. Blanchard, 
thinking it would gratify her to know that he 
was becoming a sort of intellectual champion 
of Christianity, and hoping thereby to restore 
the old complete confidence that had been 
broken by her new nearness to her Saviour. 
But she had resolved that George must be a 
Christian before he could so completely in- 
fluence her life again. Her highest aim was 
to make the most of her life in a true Christian 
purpose to be just what Christ would have her 
be. It was evident to George that Fannie 
was standing on another plane and moving 
away from him, notwithstanding her courteous 
and kind manner. She had an outlook of 
faith that he did not yet comprehend. 

Mrs. Brown was reluctant to leave the study 
of Christ’s youth. Yet she hoped much from 
the next lesson. 


87 


CHAPTER X 


REVEALED AND TEMPTED 

T HEY all gathered for the next lesson. 

George introduced Avery Blanchard as a 
new recruit to the class. He was near the 
same age as George Bancroft and a son of the 
skeptic. His father had consented to his 
coming that he might learn the secret influ- 
ences that were changing George’s thinking. 
He hoped by this to be better able to hold 
him under his power. He thought his own 
son secure. 

Mrs. Brown welcomed Avery with great 
pleasure. Then she began by recalling to mind 
the fact that nothing is said concerning the life 
of Jesus of Nazareth for all the eighteen years 
from twelve to thirty. Once when he returned 
among his old acquaintances and they were 
astonished at his words and works, they said, 
‘ ‘ Is not this the carpenter ? ” ‘ * This shows, ’ ’ 
she said, ‘‘that Jesus had lived among them 
during those years as a humble laborer. He 
who was rich, for our sakes became poor. ’ ’ 
Then Fannie was asked to read this para- 
graph : “In all ages there has been an exag- 
88 


Revealed and Tempted 


gerated desire for wealth, an exaggerated belief 
in its influence in producing or increasing the 
happiness of life, and from these errors a flood 
of cares and jealousies and meannesses has 
devastated the life of man. And therefore 
Jesus chose voluntarily the low estate of the 
poor — not a degrading, grinding poverty, but 
that commonest lot of honest poverty which, 
though it necessitates self-denial, can provide 
with ease for all the necessaries of a simple life. 
Christ labored, working with his own hands, 
and fashioned plows and yokes for those who 
needed them.” 

“So you see,” said Mrs. Brown, “how our 
Saviour lived a lowly, industrious life, setting a 
beautiful example of honest toil, showing that 
‘ labor is a pure and noble thing ; it is the salt 
of life ; it is the girdle of manliness. ’ In all 
these years we have enough revealed to see 
the true manliness of Christ. When he came 
forth as a teacher we see a wealth of knowledge 
of the Scriptures and of nature and men, show- 
ing that these were years of patient fitting for 
his public ministry. Is there any lesson for 
our day in this ? ’ * 

This exactly fitted George’s notion, and he 
promptly said, “Does it not show that we 
should take time to fit ourselves for public 
duties ? ’ ’ 

89 


Half=hours with the Christ 


“Yes; I think,” said Mrs. Brown, “that 
Christ has given us an important lesson here. 
Have a true, noble purpose early, but take 
time to gather knowledge and develop strength 
for that mission. In this model human life 
these two things stand out alone till he is thirty 
years of age. ’ * 

Then this wise teacher mapped her work. 
She told her little company about the four 
Gospels, or Lives, of Christ, that give four sides 
of his character. Matthew writes of him espe- 
cially as the king ; Mark, as the faithful sub- 
ject ; Luke portrays largely his complete man- 
hood ; while John brings more especially the 
elements of divine character and power. 
Hence we must study all four of the Gospels 
to get any right view of this wonderful life. 
Then they repeated together these four key- 
words of the four Gospels : King, Servant, 
Man, God. 

“Now we are to study Christ’s work through 
the remaining three and a half years,” said 
Mrs. Brown, “revealing the three missions put 
upon the board in our first lesson. His intro- 
duction to the people as the promised Messiah 
was most impressive. He came in perfect 
keeping with the humble life he had lived 
at Nazareth. The first recorded words that 
dropped from his lips, after his announcement 
90 


Revealed and Tempted 


of a clear purpose in life at twelve, were these : 

‘ It becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. ’ 
In this that heart purpose was matched by an 
active obedience. You only need to know 
these two things and we have it all — a clean 
noble purpose in the heart, and a loyal obedi- 
ence to every righteous command. 

“ Jesus had left his home in Nazareth at 
thirty years of age, had come down to the 
Jordan opposite Jericho, where John was 
preaching the baptism of repentance and say- 
ing to the people that the Lord was about to 
appear. Jesus came meekly among the people 
and asked that he might be baptized. John 
in some way recognized him, and said he was 
unworthy to baptize his Lord. But Jesus said, 

‘ Suffer it now, for thus it becometh us to ful- 
fill all righteousness. ’ ’ ’ 

Then Mrs. Brown handed Amelia Bancroft 
a book, “From Manger to Throne,” and asked 
her to read this description of the scene : 

“Then John and Jesus walked down to- 
gether beyond the water’ s edge into the stream 
that had been the scene of so many miracles, 
and which had filled so large a space in Jewish 
history, into waters that parted at the lashing 
of Elijah’s girdle and which separated at the 
touch of the feet of those who bore the ark, at 
Joshua’s command ; into the Jordan, the east- 

91 


Half=hours with the Christ 


ern boundary of the promised land, and which 
has ever since been a symbol of the dividing 
line between this world and heaven. And 
when the two were in the waters John gave 
baptism to our Saviour who, coming up out of 
the flood, gave voice to prayer ; and as he 
prayed, lo ! behold the heavens opened wide 
to let out an angelic chorus of praise, and down 
came fluttering on whitest pinions a snowy 
dove, the type of purity, of innocence, of spir- 
itual blessedness, and rested upon the head of 
the Holy One. And from Paradise swept 
down the divine acknowledgment and bene- 
diction, ‘ This is my beloved Son in whom I 
am well pleased.’ ” 

“ I do not see why Jesus needed to be bap- 
tized if he was perfect, ’ ’ said George ; “for this 
baptism was a confession of repentance. ’ ’ 

“Can any one repeat a passage,’’ said 
Mrs. Brown, “ that implies a reason ? ” 

Fannie had a marked verse to which her 
Bible opened easily and read, “For he hath 
made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin ; 
that we might be made the righteousness of 
God in him.” 

“Yes,” said Mrs. Brown; “and he took 
the form of a servant and was obedient in 
every particular, so that he became a perfect 
model for our study. ’ ’ 


92 


Revealed and Tempted 


Amelia sat near her father as she read Mr. 
Talmage’s description of the baptism of Jesus. 
She had already talked with her mother about 
becoming a member of the church, and Mrs. 
Bancroft had replied that she hoped her father 
would be ready to confess Christ and become 
a member of the church with her. So Amelia 
now slipped her hand quietly into the hand of 
her father, as she finished reading, and thus 
telegraphed her hope to his heart. The 
message was understood by the father. His 
thoughts flew back to Noah Webster welcomed 
to the church by the side of his daughter. He 
thought of the words of Jesus, “Thus it be- 
come th us,” and there was a silent surrender 
of his whole will to trust Christ and obey him 
in all things, which no one on earth then 
knew, but which was registered in heaven. 

“Here comes another scene in the life of 
Jesus,” said Mrs. Brown, “that is lifted up 
for our study in connection with his consecra- 
tion to his great life-work. It is his temptation. 
He was assaulted by Satan. Jesus retired after 
his baptism for a season of quiet meditation 
and prayer. Like Moses and Elijah when 
they entered upon the prophetic office, so 
Jesus spent forty days in fasting. Here Satan 
came and sought to drive him into sin. Christ 
was no doubt tempted through his whole life, 
93 


Half=hours with the Christ 


and in all points like as we are. This special 
temptation is here made prominent for two 
reasons ; one to show that he conquered, the 
other perhaps to show that special temptations 
beset those who enter upon public life. Three 
forms of temptation are mentioned which in- 
clude all temptation. ’ ’ Then one of the others 
read the account in the Gospels. 

“ Notice these three forms of temptation to 
evil. Jesus hungered from long fasting. Sa- 
tan said, Command that these stones be made 
into bread — temptation coming through phys- 
ical want, the appetite. Get bread in some 
other way than that divinely appointed, said 
the tempter. It suggests the temptations to 
dishonesty that come in business and public 
life. ’ ’ 

It had just been discovered that a trusted 
bookkeeper in town had been making dishon- 
est records for years, and had cheated his firm 
of several thousands. Mrs. Brown told her 
boys that there had been a first time soon 
after Mr. Walker began his service in the store 
when he yielded to the tempter. His appetite 
had led him to appropriate trust funds. It 
had grown upon him until his sin had found 
him out, and he was now in lifelong disgrace. 
If he had conquered at the beginning he might 
have been safe. ‘ ‘ Young men, learn a great 
94 


Revealed and Tempted 


lesson,” said Mrs. Brown. “You will soon be 
in places of special temptation to be dishonest 
in things that pertain to daily bread. Be care- 
ful that you do not falter when you come to 
handle trust funds.” 

The next temptation of Satan had reference 
to vanity. ‘ ‘ Said Satan to our Saviour, as he 
led Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple, 4 Now 
make a show of yourself ; cast yourself down ; 
and if you are really the Son of God, as you 
sail away through the air unhurt you will show 
your greatness.’ Jesus withstood, but thou- 
sands do not when they enter upon public life. 
How many young people become vain and live 
for a mere show. A proud spirit ruins multi- 
tudes. 

44 But the third was the temptation to mere 
worldly ambition of power and wealth. 4 Fall 
down and worship me, and I will give you the 
world.’ Thus appetite and vanity and am- 
bition are luring the young people to all forms 
of sin.” This became a powerful lesson for 
the rest of the evening. Mrs. Brown sought 
to show that Christ’s special temptation was 
the great drama of human life. She pictured 
how Satan had deluged the world in sin and 
wretchedness by overcoming weak, erring mor- 
tals in these ways, and that there is only One 
who has fully conquered. Here we are taught 
95 


Half=hours with the Christ 


his victory. She pointed to the Saviour meet- 
ing every temptation by a Scripture promise, 
and emphasized his reliance upon the divine 
strength that is promised to us when we trust 
the word of the Lord. 

“ My dear young people,” said Mrs. Browm, 

‘ ‘ while Satan is still tempting as truly as he 
tempted Jesus, and especially as you start out 
to do anything for yourselves, or for others, 
remember there is one Conqueror who can 
lead us all to victory. Overcome in his 
strength. ’ * 

Promptly at the end of the half-hour Bridget 
stepped in with a plate of oranges, for Mrs. 
Bancroft had determined that these young 
people should find social stimulus in their 
study of the life of Jesus. While they ate 
their oranges Mr. Bancroft said he must thank 
Mrs. Brown for this important lesson upon 
temptation as one enters upon active life. 

“I have never before realized,” said he, 
“that here was lifted up in the real life of 
Christ an acted drama of every human life. 
Few understand how fiercely come these temp- 
tations to young men as they enter upon busi- 
ness or any service of trust. I begin to see 
that I owe it more to my Christian mother for 
her teaching than to any real strength in myself 
that I was kept from falling. ’ * 

96 


Revealed and Tempted 


Never had the real conflict of life stood out 
before all these young people as now. These 
boys had all met little experiences that had 
shown them something of their own weakness. 
But that life was beset with Satanic influences 
fierce and strong, with which they must grap- 
ple, they now saw as a new vision. They were 
ready to follow Christ back to his life-work 
with new interest. Avery Blanchard saw even 
in this first half-hour, that a study of the 
Christ life entered into our own struggles as 
he had never before dreamed. They all now 
turned to that sweetest picture of the Gospels, 
gathering his first disciples. 


G 


97 


CHAPTER XI 


CHOOSING COMPANIONS 

D URING the few minutes that intervened, 
the young people walked out upon the 
piazza. Fannie had been so busy in beginning 
the new year in the college that she had seen 
little of the young people of the neighborhood 
of late. She greeted George and Avery cor- 
dially. Her new faith and more advanced 
studies and associations had combined to give 
her a dignity and grace of manner beyond her 
years. 

“What has changed you so of late,” said 
George, “that you do not seem the same 
girl?” 

“Why, George, did you expect me always 
to remain the same giddy child of a year ago ? 
I hope,” continued Fannie, “ that we are all 
making some advance. ‘ Mounting Heaven- 
ward,’ is my motto. I have wondered this 
evening if we could begin a little circle here 
to-night all having this one aim. Let it be 
the secret charm that holds us together. As 
soon as any one of our old company is drawn 
toward the Christ, let this be the pledge, motto, 
98 


Choosing Companions 


password, aim, bond, all in these two words, 
‘ Mounting Heavenward. ’ This will make 
us all friends and helpers. What do you say, 
Avery, to beginning such a circle ? ” 

‘‘I cannot say, Miss Fannie, without more 
thought. You know my teaching has been 
very different from yours. I scarcely know 
why I am here to-night. Last evening George 
and I took a walk. He seemed to have some 
new vision of life and kept saying that he had 
been a drifting chip, but that from now on 
there should be an anchored purpose. I asked 
where he caught his new inspiration. He in- 
vited me to come this evening. I am con- 
vinced already that > I have been greatly mis- 
taken about what true life is. I must move 
away from the influence of my old associates, 
for the temptations are too strong. I wall 
think of this new circle. What do you say, 
George ? ’ ’ 

“Can we begin with three,” said George, 
“ for your new circle, Fannie ? ” 

A tap of the bell on the library table brought 
all together for another half-hour lesson. Mrs. 
Brown recalled how the temptation of Jesus, 
the symbolic picture of our lives, left the Sav- 
iour victorious, and the scene greatly moved 
the heavenly world, for * ‘ the angels came and 
ministered unto him.” 


99 


ha!f=hours with the Christ 


‘‘Then he returned to the camp and the 
gathering crowds at the Jordan,” said Mrs. 
Brown, “and John pointed him out to the 
expectant multitudes, saying, ‘Behold the 
Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the 
world ! ’ It seemed to make little impression 
upon the people, for they were looking for a 
great king to appear in a royal chariot. Jesus 
seems to have quietly prepared a booth for his 
dwelling-place and moved among the crowds 
unnoticed. But the next day John was talk- 
ing with two of his disciples when he saw Jesus 
passing. He said again, ‘ Behold the Lamb of 
God ! ’ These two young men immediately 
followed after Jesus, and overtaking him said, 

‘ Master, where dwellest thou ? ’ He an- 
swered, ‘ Come and see. ’ And they went and 
tarried with him that night in his tent. These 
two were the youngest and most devout and 
watchful of Christ’s disciples as long as they 
lived. Who were these young men who alone 
started the sacred circle of Christ’ s companion- 
ship ? ’ ’ 

Fannie had anticipated the question and 
promptly read from John’s Gospel, “ ‘One of 
the two was Andrew, Simon Peter’ s brother. ’ ’ ’ 

“Do you know,” said Mrs. Brown, “that 
this name Andrew really means manly ? It is 
a beautiful fact and seems to me prophetic, 
ioo 


Choosing Companions 


Those who leave all to follow Christ were first 
called disciples, meaning learners ; after a 
while the disciples were called Christians, mean- 
ing Christ-likes. And to be Christlike is to be 
the manliest of all men. ’ * 

‘ 4 1 was looking up and down these shelves 
to-day,” said George, “to find a theme for 
an essay, and I was surprised to notice, ‘The 
Manliness of Jesus,’ as the title of a book.” 

“Yes, it is a book that I hope you may be 
drawn to read carefully, ’ ’ said Mrs. Brown ; 
“and since you have mentioned it, suppose 
you take it now and open to the last chapter 
and read those words of Tennyson at the head- 
ing.” 

He turned to the required page and read 
these lines : 

“Thou seem’st both human and divine ; 

The highest, holiest manhood Thou ! ” 

“He was a manly man — his character 
matched his name — this Andrew that was the 
first disciple to enter the charmed circle of his 
faithful followers. And from Andrew to Mr. 
Gladstone every disciple has been made only 
the more manly for his friendship with Jesus. 
What men these became ! Andrew and John, 
these two who talked it all over with the Mas- 
ter that afternoon and night, in the blessed 

IOI 


Half=hours with the Christ 


arbor of Jesus that he had woven of reeds and 
palm branches. It was a small, weak circle as 
it appeared to men ; the bruised reeds over 
them fitly represented the new society. But it 
embraced the all-conquering Christ, so the 
palm branches, emblems of victory, were inter- 
woven about the three who formed this embryo 
company which now enlarged marches to en- 
circle the earth ! ’ ’ 

Mrs. Brown spoke with a feeling that brought 
the scene very vividly before them. The con- 
versation of the three on the piazza a few 
moments before when Fannie had proposed 
forming, there and then, a circle with the 
motto, “Mounting Heavenward,” seemed so 
like that visit to the Saviour, that George and 
Avery looked each into the other’s face with 
strange bewilderment. The centuries disap- 
peared, and they felt that the life of Jesus was a 
present reality. Never before had the young 
men so felt the fact of a personal Christ drawing 
them upward by his own presence ! 

“How long did this circle remain but the 
three ? ’ ’ said the leader. ‘ ‘ What took place 
immediately following ? ’ ’ 

It was Amelia who answered, ‘ * Andrew 
found his own brother Simon and brought him 
to Jesus.” 

“Yes, and it is thought that the other, John, 
102 


Choosing Companions 


went and brought his brother James also,” said 
Mrs. Brown; “for he is soon found among 
the chosen companions of the Saviour, and no 
mention is made of when he came. Then 
soon Jesus met Philip, who was from the same 
town in Galilee as Andrew and his brother, 
whose name Jesus had changed to Peter. So 
each of the three had brought another. Then 
Philip met his friend Nathanael and invited 
him to visit Jesus at his booth. He at first 
doubted. Nazareth was only six miles from 
his own home ; he did not believe that the 
promised Messiah could have his home in such 
a despised village. But he came to see for 
himself. Jesus told Nathanael that he had 
seen him when he went alone for meditation 
and prayer under the fig tree that morning. 
Nathanael was greatly surprised, for he knew 
that no human eye had seen him in his quiet 
retreat. He at once acknowledged Jesus as 
the Son of God and joined the circle of chosen 
companions. It had now become a company 
of five or six who soon returned with Jesus to 
Galilee. This was the quiet beginning of 
Christ’s ministry. What does it suggest? I 
will ask Avery, our new recruit, that question. ’ ’ 
Avery Blanchard’s thoughts had been busy 
with the fact that he had of late unconsciously 
drifted to a class of associates that were drag- 
103 


HaIf=hours with the Christ 


ging him downward. It was now difficult to 
shake loose from them. He was surprised to 
find himself confronted with this question, in 
such surroundings. He said honestly, however, 
that this matter of choosing companions was 
uppermost in his thoughts. “Mrs. Brown,’ * 
said he, ‘ ‘ 1 am sick and tired of the associates 
that have been around me the past year, and 
I have been wondering how I might be drawn 
out of them. I am sure I need more manly 
companions if I ever amount to anything. ’ ’ 

“Avery,” said Mrs. Brown, “you suggest a 
paragraph that I saw recently in ‘Looking 
Backward.’ It was called the ‘Rosebush of 
Humanity.’ Suppose you read it,” and she 
handed him the book at the open page. 

So he read : “ ‘ Humanity is like a rosebush 
planted in a swamp, watered with black bog- 
water, breathing miasmatic fogs by day and 
chilled with poisonous dews by night. Gar- 
deners had done their best to make it bloom, 
but beyond an occasional half-opened bud, 
with a worm at the heart, their efforts had 
been unsuccessful. Many claimed that it was 
not a rosebush at all. Finally the idea of 
transplanting it found favor. So it came about 
that the rosebush of humanity was transplanted 
and set in sweet, warm, dry earth, where the 
sun bathed it, the stars wooed it, and the south 
104 


Choosing Companions 


wind caressed it. Then it appeared that it was 
indeed a rosebush. The vermin and the mil- 
dew disappeared, and the bush was covered 
with most beautiful red roses whose fragrance 
filled the world. ’ ’ * 

“I am glad, Avery,” said Mrs. Brown, 

‘ ‘ that you have yourself felt that there is 
danger in bad associates.” 

“I find that I cannot grow in a swamp,” he 
replied ; “and I need transplanting from this 
black bog- water. ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ This is the power of studying Christ’ s life ; 
it is continually making its own application to 
our lives,” said Mrs. Brown. “But Christ 
not only transplanted ; he also engrafted into 
his own life. He not only called these men 
to himself, but also implanted within them a 
new love, so that through them his fragrance 
fills the world. ’ ’ 

In a few moments they followed Christ 
and his half-dozen disciples back to Galilee. 
They saw their journey to Cana, the home of 
Nathanael. A wedding was there, and the 
mother of Jesus had been invited. So the 
Saviour and his new friends were called to the 
wedding. 

“Here Jesus performed his first miracle,” 
said the leader; “he began his ministry by 
sanctioning the marriage relation and the 


Half=hours with the Christ 


planting of a new home. No one knows 
where the Garden of Eden was. Sin swept it 
away. Only one frail plant, carried down the 
river Euphrates, lodged in the banks and took 
root again. When two hearts affianced in love 
go out to establish a new home, and invite 
Jesus to sanction their union — that is Paradise 
regained ! His first disciples asked him, ‘ Mas- 
ter, where dwellest thou?’ Ever since then 
he has been asking every new disciple the same 
question. Can we always invite him as he in- 
vited them, ‘ Come and see ’ ? ” 

“Why did Jesus work this miracle?” asked 
George. 

“I suppose,” said Mrs. Brown, “that like 
nearly all the miracles of Jesus it combined 
‘ the characteristics of a work of mercy, an em- 
blem and a prophecy.’ But I cannot help 
feeling, since he afterward established wine as 
an emblem of his blood of sacrifice, to be used 
through all the coming ages of the gospel, that 
this was a hidden prophecy at the beginning 
of his ministry of that last supper with his dis- 
ciples, when he said, ‘This cup is the blood 
of the new covenant. ’ As he made a bounti- 
ful provision at this first supper with his dis- 
ciples for all the guests, so his gift of himself 
would be ample for all who should come to the 
marriage feast of the Lamb. ’ ’ 

106 


Choosing Companions 

Here the lesson closed. It was decided 
that Avery should now join the class. George 
walked with him to the Blanchard door. 

“ Shall we accept the invitation of Fannie 
to form a secret circle,” said George as they 
parted, and take as our aim and motto, 

‘ Mounting Heavenward ’ ? ” 

They stood, hand in hand, in silence for a 
moment. Then Avery answered, “I must give 
it more thought, George ; this means new 
business to me. You know I must encounter 
father’s opposition. But I need help to get 
away from the set of fellows that have gathered 
around me. I must get out of the swamp and 
stop breathing miasmatic fogs by day and being 
chilled by poisonous dews at night. Give me 
another week to think of all that Fannie means 
by this new circle. I feel now as if that arbor 
of reeds and palm branches, that the two 
young men of the lesson visited, would settle 
the question. I wish you and I, George, 
could walk out to-night and lodge in that same 
tent. It seems as if I could almost hear his 
voice saying, ‘ Come and see. ’ ’ ’ 

Then these two young men separated with a 
promise to be mutual helpers and to follow 
this class study together through the coming 
winter. 


CHAPTER XII 


THE NEW HOME 


IRCUMSTANCES prevented the meeting 



for two weeks. During that time Mrs. 
Bancroft had invited Pastor Little to tea that 
he might have conversation with her husband. 
The pastor was quite surprised to find the 
banker ready to speak freely upon religion. An 
entire change of views was clearly announced. 
The distinguished moralist had formerly over- 
awed the pastor by his complete confidence in 
his own uprightness, but now his childlike trust 
and his tender expressions of attachment to 
the Saviour were unmistakable. 

“To what do you attribute,” said the pas- 
tor, “your conversion, Mr. Bancroft? It is 
quite unusual to see a man of your years and 
position show such sudden and marked change 
of mind!” 

‘ ‘ I am, sir, a great surprise to myself, ’ ’ said 
the banker. “I went to the library, one 
evening, to visit with the family, and there I 
found Mrs. Brown and the children studying 
the life of Christ. I was at once drawn to con- 
sider the present-day reality of the Christ-life 


108 


The New Home 


as never before. I continued to follow these 
lessons until my heart was won to receive the 
Saviour in the same childlike spirit as my little 
girl, Amelia. And now she and I are begin- 
ning the new life together. We wish you to 
instruct us as to the path of obedience. ’ ’ 

It was all arranged that they should make 
their profession of faith by baptism the next 
Sabbath ; and thus Amelia and her father be- 
came members of the church. The quiet 
community was no little stirred when at the 
close of the evening service Pastor Little intro- 
duced Mr. Bancroft to tell the congregation of 
his new faith. His calm words told of his 
seeing Jesus within the past few weeks, just as 
if he had really visited their town as he used 
to visit the villages of Galilee. His conversion 
introduced no bewildering doctrine ; it was the 
happy acquaintance of the Christ who was now 
a loved friend. His brief statement left a pe- 
culiar impression that Jesus of Nazareth was 
passing by. 

The evening for the lesson came, and the 
little company were in the library. Avery 
Blanchard came with an anxious expression. 
His father had noticed his reading the Bible 
since that first lesson. At first he had sup- 
posed it was merely a search for arguments, 
but when he observed the quiet search of the 
109 


half=hours with the Christ 


Gospels, Mr. Blanchard was alarmed. That 
evening Avery said to his father that he wished 
to join the class at Mr. Bancroft’s. His father 
forbade it. He had heard of the statements 
of the banker at the church services ; hence 
he feared the strange influence of that class. 

‘ ‘ If you insist upon going, you must leave my 
roof,” said the infidel. 

“Father,” said the young man, “I must 
investigate these facts for myself. I supposed 
from your willingness two weeks ago, that I 
had your approval when I united with the 
class. Now I am determined calmly to inves- 
tigate this subject just as I am studying other 
history in school.” So with the earnest pro- 
test of his father Avery had come for the 
evening’s study. 

“Our last lesson,” said Mrs. Brown, “left 
Jesus in Galilee, where his first miracle sanc- 
tioned the marriage and the establishing of a 
new home. John’s Gospel says, ‘After this 
he went down to Capernaum, he, and his 
mother, and his brethren, and his disciples.’ 
About this time we conclude that Jesus and 
his mother moved their home from Nazareth 
to Capernaum. His disciples seemed to have 
gone to their old employment as fishermen on 
the sea of Galilee. Some of them lived at 
Capernaum. It is probable that Jesus and 
no 


The New Home 


Mary made their home with Peter, who was a 
prosperous householder at Capernaum. 

“When they left the wedding at Cana it is 
more than probable that he visited Nazareth. 
The jealousy and hatred that Nazareth after- 
ward showed, no doubt began now. To save 
his mother and himself from these constant 
scenes of wrangling, from the bitter opposition 
of neighbors and relatives, they quietly with- 
drew to Capernaum, which is afterward called 
‘his own city.’ So our lesson marks a very 
important era in his life. The new home of 
Jesus suggests that as he was driven from 
Bethlehem in the beginning by persecution, so 
they would not allow him longer a place at 
Nazareth. He breathed blessing upon a new 
home for others at his first miracle. He pro- 
vided a home for his aged mother by some of 
his last words from the cross. But during his 
ministry he was never allowed a place on earth 
where he could lay his head in peace, till the 
burial in Joseph’s new tomb.” 

Then they turned their attention to Ca- 
pernaum. Barton drew again a hasty map of 
Palestine on the board. They saw how Ca- 
pernaum was some twenty-forur miles northeast 
of Nazareth, and situated near the north end 
of the sea of Galilee. The beautiful little lake 
was described, in shape like a pear, some thir- 
in 


half=hours with the Christ 


teen miles long and six broad. A half-dozen 
populous towns gathered around the lake were 
spoken of ; but Capernaum was the largest, 
and here Jesus chose his home. It was no- 
ticed as a city of some twenty-five thousand 
residents at that time, while it was constantly 
visited by people from various lands. 

“Was there any special reason,” asked Mrs. 
Brown, “why Jesus should choose Capernaum 
for his chief residence, where most of his 
mighty works should be done ? ’ ’ 

Then one contributed this and another that, 
until they had gathered the following facts : It 
was the most populous city of Galilee. It was 
on ‘ 1 the way of the sea, ’ ’ the great open road 
that led from Damascus and the east to the 
Mediterranean, upon which the great caravans 
carried back the merchandise of Tyre and the 
west through to Persia. Crossing this great 
road of traffic at Capernaum were several other 
roads ; one down the Jordan Valley to Jericho 
and Jerusalem, another was the road of the 
eastern merchants to Egypt, another through 
Samaria to Jerusalem. All these great roads 
crossed or centered at Capernaum. Here was 
the great market for food for the multitude of 
travelers. Here the fishermen disciples had 
plied their successful business. Here they 
easily replenished the slender purse after their 
1 1 2 


The New Home 


tours with Christ. Here the multitudes passed 
from both Europe and Africa on their great 
journeys to the East. Hence, what a center for 
seed-sowing this furnished the great teacher ! 
His three years’ ministry permitted Jesus to 
come in touch with men from all the Gentile 
nations. Twenty years afterward, wheresoever 
the evangelists carried the news of salvation 
through Christ, there were witnesses to rise up 
and say that they had heard Jesus in Caper- 
naum, and could testify that ‘ ‘ never man spake 
like this man.” 

“Surely,” said Mrs. Brown, “this was his 
own city, for the market places of Capernaum 
were thronged with representatives of the wide 
world. While it must have been with sadness 
that Jesus went out from Nazareth, driven from 
home by the unbelief and malice of kindred 
and acquaintance, he went to enlarged privilege 
and faithful friendships. It will always be so 
to those who suffer for his name’s sake. They 
will follow him out to wider privilege and 
richer friendship. ’ ’ 

Mrs. Brown was not then aware of Avery 
Blanchard’s position. But his own thoughts 
were busy in the application, and it was a word 
in season. Mr. Bancroft who had just been 
driven out of his old fortress of self-sufficiency 
to his enlarged hopes in Christ, and had the 
h 113 


Half=hours with the Christ 

past Sunday taken up his home in the Chris- 
tian church, saw application to himself. 

“I wish to tell you,” said he, “how true 
that is in my own experience. I sat alone in 
this room after one of these lessons, feeling 
that my old refuge of self-trust must be aban- 
doned. My old unbelief condemned me. I 
did not dare tarry another night where for 
twenty years I had felt so secure. At first I 
saw nothing but that picture of faith clinging 
to the cross ; and the cross I had long despised. 

I thought, if I simply clung to that, I must 
abandon all my old friends and stand alone. 
But when I followed Christ out, what a change ! 
As you were picturing Jesus going out, driven 
from the wild rocks of narrow Nazareth to the 
grassy slopes and crystal lake and green moun- 
tains that surrounded the white marble city of 
bright Capernaum, I felt that it was a picture 
of the new home into which I have come. ’ * 
Just here watchful Bridget stepped in with 
the dainty cups of hot chocolate and ginger- 
cake that she had found so welcome on other 
evenings, and the company moved about for a 
few minutes’ change of position. Avery took 
George’s arm and in the reception hall they 
dropped upon the stairs. 

4 ‘ George, ’ ’ said he, “I am not sure that I 
can remain another night under my father’s 
114 


The New Home 


roof, because I came here this evening. This 
lesson has a peculiar illustration in my case. 
Mr. Bancroft’s uniting with the church last 
Sunday had stirred father against my coming 
here. I told him I must investigate for myself. 
He said then that I could not remain at 
home.” 

George replied, “Avery, I did not think of 
drawing you into trouble by inviting you here ; 
will you forgive me ? ’ ’ 

‘ 1 1 cannot be too thankful that I came, 
George. I have had two weeks of new as- 
sociation and at least decent respect for my- 
self in a new desire to make something of 
life. I shall leave my home with regret. But 
your father’s words to-night have put new 
courage in my heart. I am determined to 
go with Jesus from Nazareth to Capernaum, 
cost what it may. I wish that I could feel 
that I was entering such a circle as Miss Fan- 
nie mentioned.” 

Just then Fannie and Amelia returned from 
the piazza, and George beckoned them to the 
stairway. “Fannie,” said George, “have 
you thought more of your new organization? 
We wanted then, you know, more time to 
think of it. Avery has just said that he needs 
just such help. I thought perhaps we might 
start it now. ’ ’ 


Half=hours with the Christ 


“ Oh, you are too late,” said Fannie ; “ the 
circle has already been organized. Amelia 
and I have just joined hands and formed this 
circle, taking as our motto, 1 Mounting Heaven- 
ward. ’ Our constitution, by-laws, creed, aim, 
are all unwritten and are contained in these 
words, To know and follow Jesus. It must be 
composed of voluntary members. No one is 
urged to unite.” 

Avery at once extended his hand to the two 
girls, saying, ‘ ‘ This is all I know of the new 
life : I long to know and follow Jesus, and if 
this is mounting heavenward, I start up the 
ladder. ’ ’ 

George was completely surprised at Avery’s 
decision, under the trial that he saw awaited 
him. He believed the skeptic would keep the 
threat to drive his son from home, from his 
well-known reputation. 

Just then the bell rang to regather the class 
for another half-hour study. So George did 
not enter the charmed circle. There was 
something lacking. He had not yet reached 
the point where he could say : 

We rise by the things that are under our feet — 

By what we have mastered of good or gain, 

By the pride deposed and the passion slain, 

And the vanquished ill that we hourly meet. 


116 


CHAPTER XIII 

THOROUGHLY COMMITTED 

“ V V /HEN and where and how,” said Mrs. 

W Brown, “did Jesus begin his public 
ministry ? It is some six months since he first 
left Nazareth, was baptized, and pointed out as 
the promised Messiah. We have followed his 
course to the new home at Capernaum, where 
John says he tarried not many days. Has he 
really begun his public ministry yet ? ’ ’ 

This was a new thought to these young 
people. They had supposed that they were 
already in the midst of the study of that min- 
istry, yet they could recall no sermon or pub- 
lic teaching. Hence curiosity was quite awak- 
ened to know how Christ did enter upon his 
work as a teacher come from God. 

“Where would it seem most likely,” said 
the leader, “for him who was born King of 
the Jews to take his scepter of authority? ” 
“Why, at Jerusalem,” said they all. 

“Yes; hence said the Saviour at Cana to 
his mother, ‘ Mine hour is not yet come. ’ 
The prophet had said ‘ The Lord will suddenly 
come to his temple ; but who may abide the 
117 


Half=hours with the Christ 


day of his coming ? * The Passover was at 
hand and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. There 
he began the great mission he came to fulfill 
by cleansing the temple. For a year John the 
Baptist had heralded his approach. Rumor and 
fear had excited much curiosity as to when 
and how the Messiah would be made king. 
So when Jesus of Nazareth came to this Pass- 
over and found the court of the temple filled 
with noisy traffickers bartering in animals with- 
in the sacred courts, he took a small cord and 
drove out the sheep and oxen and commanded 
the men to depart with their doves. There 
was at once a profound impression that the 
Lord had come to the temple, and the men 
fled in fear. 

4 4 Here began that wonderful three years of 
Christ’s public ministry. It began in Jerusa- 
lem, at the Passover, by cleansing the temple. 

4 4 Then came the rulers of the temple and 
asked by what authority he did these things, 
or to show them a sign. Christ replied, 4 De- 
stroy this temple and in three days I will raise 
it up.’ This was his first clear reference to 
his death and resurrection ; for he spoke of 
the temple of his body. During these days 
of the Passover he performed many miracles, 
and many of the people believed on him as the 
promised Messiah. And one night Nicodemus, 
1 18 


Thoroughly Committed 

a leading member of the Jewish council, came 
and acknowledged Jesus as a teacher come 
from God ; and the Saviour taught him clearly 
concerning the greatest doctrine of our religion, 
that all men must be ‘ born again. * 

‘ ‘ So here were three things that marked the 
beginning of our Lord’ s ministry ; the cleans- 
ing of the temple, the first announcement of 
his death and resurrection, and the teaching 
of regeneration as the necessity of every soul. 
These truths were enforced by many miracles. 
From this time Jesus went forth upon his three 
wonderful years till he again ascended to the 
throne of heaven with all power given into his 
hands. ’ ’ 

Then they mapped out the Saviour’s three 
years of journeying and toil and teaching. 

“ Each year seemed to bear special witness 
to one thing. The first year put emphasis upon 
the manly Man. The second year witnessed 
to his coming as the Son of God. The last 
year’s teaching made more prominent than 
before his sacrifice as the Lamb of God that 
taketh away the sin of the world. The three 
great facts of Christ’s mission to earth seem to 
stand out in this order of development. It 
will help us if we keep these three thoughts 
connected with the three years of his public 
ministry. ’ ’ 

119 


Half=hours with the Christ 


Then the blackboard was used, for Mrs. 
Brown believed that the eye helped the ear to 
receive truth. She put upon the board these 
three truths taught at the first Passover : 

Temple Cleansed — A Pure Manhood. 

Resurrection — God Manifested. 

Born Again — His Sacrifice Accepted. 

“Why,” said Amelia, “ these are the white 
and the blue and the red threads that we had 
woven into Christ’s life in our first lesson ! ” 

“Yes,” said Mrs. Brown ; “I am glad you 
recall that lesson. You know that you re- 
member the multiplication table so well be- 
cause you went over it, and over it, and over 
it again. I want you to fix in your minds these 
first principles in Christ’s life and teachings, 
so that they shall always be as familiar as the 
multiplication table. I see that the white, 
blue, and red have helped you remember the 
three things for which Jesus came to earth. 
You may tell us, Amelia, what these colors rep- 
resent. ’ ’ 

When Amelia had given this little picture 
from their first lesson, they all repeated in 
concert, “The white represents, he came to 
reveal a perfect human life. The blue repre- 
sents, he came to reveal God’s character. The 
120 


Thoroughly Committed 

red represents, he came as the Lamb of God 
to make an offering for sin. ’ ’ 

As Avery Blanchard had not been present 
at the first lesson, he said, “Teacher, I shall 
remember that by the red, white, and blue of 
the American flag. ’ ’ 

“Yes,” said Mrs. Brown, “that is a good 
suggestion. We should be both patriots and 
Christians ; our two banners blend the same 
colors. And I love the flag of my country the 
more because it is always suggesting the Christ, 
who is the ensign of his people. White is 
everywhere the emblem of purity ; blue, the 
color of the sky, represents ‘ the One who 
dwells above ’ ; while the red is token of ‘ the 
blood of Calvary. ’ Christ was careful to weave 
these three thoughts into the opening of his 
public ministry at the first Passover ; for he 
desired from the beginning that they receive 
him as the God-Man, who comes to redeem 
from sin, and to renew the soul. ” 

Avery sat with breathless attention. He had 
for some time been deeply convinced that his 
father was a very unhappy man in his skepti- 
cism. He had been awakened to see that his 
own past associations had no helps or hopes. 
Suddenly a great crisis had come. He had 
enraged his father and must leave home, or 
stifle this call to follow the Saviour. Mrs. 


12 1 


Half=hours with the Christ 


Brown read in his anxious face that he was as 
sincere an inquirer as was Nicodemus. She 
felt impressed that this was the moment for the 
Saviour to speak again that same night lesson. 
So she said : 

‘ ‘Turn now all to your Bibles and listen to 
Christ as he instructs a sincere inquirer. Once 
a friend said to me, ‘ If the whole Bible were 
to be lost from the world, except one verse, 
what verse would you think best to keep ? ’ I 
replied that I might change my mind about it 
after more reflection • but as I then thought, 
I should prefer to retain John 3:16, ‘ God so 
loved the world that he gave his only begotten 
Son, that whosoever believeth in him should 
not perish, but have everlasting life.’ But I 
have never changed my mind after years of 
thought. These were the words that Jesus 
uttered to Nicodemus when he asked how a 
man could be born again. The Saviour told 
this inquirer that he must be ‘ born of the 
Spirit/ but Nicodemus said that he could not 
understand it. True, said the Saviour, no man 
understands the work of the Spirit, any more 
than he understands whence the wind comes 
or whither it goes ; he only feels its effects. 
It is God’s work to change the heart ; you do 
not need to understand his part of the work. 
But man’s part in conversion is to trust him- 
122 


Thoroughly Committed 

self in the hands of God, just as a little child 
puts its hand in the hand of its father and is 
willing to be led. We are born again, said 
Jesus, the very moment we yield our wills to 
him as our Teacher and our Redeemer. 

“He is standing here to-night,” continued 
Mrs. Brown, “teaching that same lesson as 
really as he taught it to Nicodemus at the be- 
ginning. He was then in the flesh ; he is now 
here in the word. If we will not trust him 
when he speaks by the word, neither would 
we believe if he came back in flesh. He stands 
here at the door of our hearts, knocking by the 
word, by this very truth we are studying. 
He says, ‘ I come to cleanse this temple ; I am 
he that was dead and am alive again ; God so 
loved your soul that he gave his only begotten 
Son to die in your stead ; receive his great sal- 
vation.’ Our next lesson will follow Jesus as 
he goes out on that weary journey of three 
years, to bring to light life and immortality. 
I wish to close our lesson to-night with these 
lines.” And Mrs. Brown read with a full 
heart Hollis Freeman’s poem entitled, “ Nico- 
demus’ Night Visit” : 

“ When night had spread her solemn veil 
O’er earth’s fair face of light, 

He came, this ruler of the Jews, 

To our dear Lord by night. 

123 


Half=hours with the Christ 


‘ Reproach him not, nor dare to blame, 

For souls Christ washes white, 

Through sin’s deep gloom, and guilt’s dark shade 
First come to him by night. 

‘ When doubts and fears o’erwhelm our soul, 
Faint burns the torch of hope, 

In the dark midnight of despair, 

To seek his face we grope. 

‘ When on our lives the chastening rod 
Falls with a crushing blight, 

Through weakness then we seek for strength, 
And come to him by night. 

‘ When clouds o’erhang the golden sky 
Of youth’s brief morning bright, 

And fade life’s garlands, wreathed by hope, 

We turn to him by night. 

‘ And when upon the face we love 
Rests that strange pallor white, 

With frozen hearts and tearless eyes 
We come to him by night 

‘ For hearts that never sought his love 
When laughed life’s glowing light, 

Will turn to him when shadows fall. 

And day is turned to night. 

‘ When storms have wrecked our happy dreams, 
Forsaken in griefs blight, 

Alone, with cruel pain and loss 
We find the cross by night. 

‘ When coldly frowns the selfish world, 

And lips are prone to blame, 

124 


Thoroughly Committed 

We cling unto the sheltering rock, 

In the dark night of shame. 

“ Oh, happy souls, that trembling come 
To thee, dear Lord, by night, 

The morning dawns with rosy wings, 

And brings celestial light ! ’ ’ 

When she had finished reciting these lines, 
Mrs. Brown with her children immediately 
withdrew to her cottage. She wished to leave 
each one to his own thoughts. 

Every line seemed a special message to 
Avery’s heart. George and he were soon left 
together in the library. Avery buried his face 
in his hands and sobbed aloud. He felt that 
he must go out into the night, he knew not 
where. George invited him as he arose to go, 
to lodge with him. 

“No,” said the thoughtful youth; “then 
your father would be blamed for taking me 
away from home. Good-night, George,” and 
he went out alone upon the street. When he 
had gone a block he saw the light in Mrs. 
Brown’s cottage. He decided to go in and 
tell her all. “Can I see you alone, Mrs. 
Brown ? ’ ’ said Avery. 

“Certainly,” she replied. 

He was now calm and told her the words 
that had passed between him and his father. 
Mrs. Brown had known Mr. Blanchard almost 

125 


Half=hours with the Christ 


from her childhood. He had never been 
known to recant. 

“Avery,” she said, after a moment’s re- 
flection, ‘ ‘ you are in your senior year at the 
high school ; have you had any thought what 
course you were to pursue after next June? ” 

“I had hoped to study medicine,” he re- 
plied. 

‘ ‘ Has your father approved of that course ? ’ ’ 
she asked. 

“ He did not object when I mentioned it to 
him,” said Avery. 

“Would you be willing to go to Doctor 
Sinnett’ s now and do any chores that he might 
desire for your board, and continue, till you 
graduate, a sort of servant, with the under- 
standing that you were to remain then in his 
office to study ? ’ ’ 

“If he needs me ; I am willing to work 
night and day, ’ ’ said Avery. 

* ‘ Then lodge with Barton to-night ; we will 
walk down to the doctor’ s office now, and per- 
haps you can go there in the morning. ” 

Mrs. Brown went with Avery at once. She 
had just learned that day that the doctor 
wanted a young man to come into his home. 
‘ ‘ There are special reasons, doctor, ’ ’ said 
Mrs. Brown, “why Avery would like to come 
to-morrow morning — reasons that need not be 
126 


Thoroughly Committed 

now mentioned ; we can talk with you in con- 
fidence at another time. * * 

It was all arranged, and Avery Blanchard 
returned to Mrs. Brown’s cottage, where that 
night he yielded himself completely to Christ 
as the two bowed together in prayer. He 
came to Jesus “by night.” 


127 


CHAPTER XIV 


THE WEARIED TOILER 


HE lesson of the next week was changed 



I to Friday evening, making it some ten 
days before they met again in the Bancroft 
library. There was much sickness in town, so 
that Avery Blanchard, with his school duties, 
was kept very busy. The doctor was called up 
two or three times each night, and Avery must 
make these night drives with him. This loss 
of sleep, with the care of the horses and the 
house furnace, made the position very tiring 
for the young student. 

He had gone, at Mrs. Brown’s direction, the 
very morning of the engagement and told his 
father that he was to live with the doctor in 
order to study medicine. He was so kindly in 
his statement about this opening and his being 
needed at once, that Mr. Blanchard said noth- 
ing about the religious question. 

His mother was a discouraged woman, having 
been compelled for peace’ sake to smother her 
religious activity for many years past. She 
loved her son, but she could only quietly en- 
dure. So she felt relieved that matters had 


128 


The Wearied Toiler 


taken this turn to save her home from the dis- 
grace of the son being driven away. 

George went to Mrs. Brown the next morn- 
ing after that lesson, to tell her about Avery’s 
trouble. He was quite surprised to find that 
she knew it all and had gone with him the 
night before and arranged for his home. She 
said to George that as they two alone knew of 
the Blanchard trouble it would be wise to men- 
tion it to no one ; then it would not become 
unpleasant gossip. Then said she : 

“George, Avery Blanchard has proved that 
first great lesson in the life of Jesus, of God’s 
protecting care over those who trust him. Do 
you remember that when we were following 
Joseph and Mary fleeing with the child into 
Egypt, you thought they would be looked upon 
as suspicious characters in Egypt and left in 
disgrace in their hiding? Then we saw how it 
had all been arranged that they should have 
the gold and myrrh and frankincense put in 
their hands, so that they could be in Egypt in 
the position of the most honorable merchants 
who came from the far East bearing these sweet 
spices for the embalming trade. When Avery 
left you, last evening, you thought again, ‘ He 
has been driven out in disgrace ! ’ Without 
knowing his circumstance, I felt impressed to 
read that little poem to close our lesson last 
i 129 


Half=hours with the Christ 


evening. He came here afterward and asked 
me to read again those words. When I came 
to the verse, 

When on our lives the chastening rod 
Falls with a crushing blight, 

Through weakness then we seek for strength, 
And come to Him by night, 

Avery said, ‘Now, Mrs. Brown, please read 
that last verse.’ Then I read in connection 
with the other, these lines : 

O happy souls, that trembling come 
To thee, dear Lord, by night ; 

The morning dawns with rosy wings, 

And brings celestial light. 

Avery looked into my face and said, ‘ Mrs. 
Brown, does that mean me, as I go out upon 
the street without a home this dark night, that 
something is to open for me to-morrow morn- 
ing, to hide me from this disgrace ? ’ £ Cer- 

tainly,’ I replied, and with as much confidence 
as I had pointed him to trust Jesus to save his 
soul. When he then told me that it had been 
his plan, with his father’s approval too, to 
study medicine, I saw at once why Dr. Sinnett 
had that very day told me that he very much 
needed a faithful young man in his home. 

“Avery had gone out with his‘ father’s 
threat, feeling that he must know and follow 
130 


The Wearied Toiler 


Jesus. He was led to take as his motto hence- 
forth, ‘Mounting Heavenward.’ Our Heav- 
enly Father had just as much arranged for 
Avery’s honorable home the next morning in 
Dr. Sinnett’s fine mansion, and to have our 
town paper state the fact the next evening that 
Avery Blanchard had become a medical stu- 
dent with our leading physician — arranged all 
just as surely as he arranged for Mary and 
Joseph to make honorable journey into Egypt. 
The Christ was here with Avery just as surely 
as he was with them. O George, are you still 
reading these facts as ancient history, instead 
of seeing Jesus with us in the word as he dwelt 
then in the flesh ? How long before you and 
Barton are to read these truths ‘in the living 
present ’ ? ” 

George returned home, asking himself how 
it came that Avery Blanchard, the son of the 
skeptic, had been thus brought into this new 
life, had even taken Fannie Brown’s hand and 
entered into the charmed circle ‘ ‘ Mounting 
Heavenward,” while he himself, who had a few 
months before alone shared her complete con- 
fidence, was now drifting farther and farther 
away. 

When Friday evening came they were again 
together in the Bancroft library. The banker 
had become very much attached to these half- 

131 


Half=hours with the Christ 


hour studies with the Christ. He said this 
evening that he looked forward to this study 
with the children with deeper interest than to 
banking hours. 

“We now follow Jesus out from Jerusalem,” 
said Mrs. Brown, “after the first Passover. 
He went with his disciples through the towns 
and villages of Judea, preaching the gospel of 
the kingdom of heaven, and baptizing great 
companies of disciples — though Jesus baptized 
not, but his disciples — much as John the Bap- 
tist was preaching and baptizing. John was 
gradually working his way up the Jordan 
preaching in Galilee, until at last he reached 
Tiberias on the sea of Galilee where Herod 
Antipas had a royal palace. John’s plain 
preaching against sin enraged the king’s house- 
hold and John was cast into prison. News of 
this came to Jesus in Judea, and he started 
back to Galilee seemingly to continue John’s 
faithful teaching and fulfill his proclamation 
that the Messiah had come. 

“As Jesus and his disciples passed through 
Samaria they came at noontime to Sychar, the 
place of Jacob’s well. Jesus after more than 
six months’ constant labor from village to 
village through Judea, by day and by night 
ofttimes, bearing the sorrows and sufferings of 
his visitors, came and sat at the well wearied. 

132 


The Wearied Toiler 


It gives us the picture of Christ as ‘The 
Wearied Toiler,’ going about doing good. He 
dropped upon the stone well curb, so weary 
and exhausted from the long journey on foot 
after months of constant toil, that the disciples 
hastened to the neighboring village to buy food 
and prepare a noon lunch. 

“While they were gone a woman came to 
draw water. Jesus asked her for a drink of 
water and this opened a conversation concern- 
ing the water of life which he alone could give, 
that forms one of the most beautiful pictures 
in the Gospels.’’ 

Here Mrs. Brown took a book from the 
table and opened to a chapter on “The 
Thirsty Giver of Living Water,’’ and asked 
Avery to read a few sentences which she had 
marked concerning this scene at Jacob’s well. 
Then his own thirsty soul found great satisfac- 
tion, as he came in from a week’s most weary 
toil to take his seat with his wearied Master 
and follow this story : 

“There are seven sayings of our Lord in 
this conversation, which may be regarded as 
the seven rounds of a ladder whose foot is on 
earth and its top in heaven. The first is the 
request, ‘Give me to drink,’ which reveals a 
true manhood of physical need and dependent 
on help. The last is the full revelation of his 
133 


Half=hours with the Christ 


dignity in ‘ I that speak unto thee am he. ’ 
How wide the distance between these two, the 
path from the valley to the height ! If we look 
at this scene with enlightened eyes, how won- 
derful and precious it is, as one pathetic evi- 
dence of the true humanity and humiliation of 
our Lord ! He whose goings forth were of old 
sat, a weary traveler, too tired to go with the 
disciples to buy food which he needed. Jesus 
at last throws back the cloak, of which he had 
let a fold or two be blown aside, and stands 
confessed in his full sovereign authority. That 
Christ who comes to give the Spirit which is 
the water of life, and to reveal the Father, and 
to make worship in spirit and truth possible for 
the humblest, will hold familiar converse with 
outcasts and sinners ! ’ ’ 

“Then,” said Mrs. Brown, “when the 
woman’s conscience was stirred she believed 
on Christ and hastened back to tell her friends 
the story. The disciples returned and found 
the wearied Master busy with this departing 
inquirer. He seemed refreshed. They won- 
dered if some one had brought him food. He 
said ‘ I have meat to eat that ye know not of. ’ 
They could not understand what he meant. 
Then said Jesus plainly, ‘ My meat is to do the 
will of him that sent me.’ By this time they 
could see the people returning with the woman, 
i34 


The Wearied Toiler 


who had told them she had met the Christ. 
Then Jesus told them of the refreshing joy of 
being permitted to reap in such a harvest of 
souls ! Many of this people believed on Jesus 
and pressed him to remain, and he tarried with 
them two days and then went on to Galilee. 

“ How these two days of the wearied, toiling 
Saviour in Samaria helped the disciples to 
gather a great harvest of souls among this very 
people a few years afterward ! How little we 
realize when we toil on at a present duty, what 
blessing it may bring in after years to ourselves 
or others ! Jesus foresaw where this conversa- 
tion with the woman would lead ; therefore 
that cup of cold water from her hand was more 
refreshing than the richest feast. 

“Let us learn one lesson,” she continued, 
“this lesson of faith, that the hardest toil is 
sometimes thrust upon us that we may reap 
richer blessing for all future years. ’ * 

With this new lesson drawn from the Sav- 
iour’s weary toil, Avery Blanchard went back 
to another hard week, refreshed and strength- 
ened. Little did he dream that this present 
humble service about the doctor’s stable was 
in the line of great blessing soon to follow, but 
he said to himself, ‘ ‘ I will patiently toil and 
prayerfully trust. ” 

“After two days, Jesus and his disciples,” 
135 


Half=hours with the Christ 


said the leader, “went on into Galilee, and 
began his work with such abundant preaching 
and healing and journeying from place to place, 
that Matthew and Mark and Luke all began 
their accounts of his public ministry from this 
time of his coming into Galilee ! Though it is 
a whole year after his baptism, if it were not 
for John’s Gospel, we should suppose that this 
was the very first of his ministry. This Gali- 
lean work was thrust upon the Saviour, as we 
have seen him, coming up from Judea wearied 
with many months of hardest toil. Matthew 
thus describes the scenes that now attended 
him : 

“ ‘And Jesus went about all Galilee, teach- 
ing in their synagogues, and preaching the 
gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner 
of sickness, and all manner of disease among 
the people. And his fame went throughout 
all Syria : and they brought unto him all sick 
people that were taken with divers diseases and 
torments, and those which were possessed with 
devils, and those which were lunatic, and those 
that had the palsy; and he healed them. And 
there followed him great multitudes of people.’ 
This gives the picture of the closing part of 
Jesus’ first year of toil. Do you think he was 
weary but once ? ’ ’ 

Here Mrs. Bancroft interrupted, saying, 
i3 6 


The Wearied Toiler 


“ Excuse me, Mrs. Brown; Bridget is waiting 
at the door with a plate of hot doughnuts ; can 
you pause in your lesson for a few moments ? ’ * 

“Well,” said the leader in reply, “I sus- 
pect we too seldom get so enrapt, as did oui 
Saviour, that we cannot pause for food. It is a 
fitting place in our lesson to prepare for a new 
scene in our Lord’s life.” 

George had not seen much of Avery during 
the past busy week, so they soon passed into 
the reception room for conversation. 

‘ ‘ George, ’ ’ said Avery, ‘ ‘ have you started 
up the ladder yet, and taken the motto of the 
new circle ? ’ ’ 

George did not know how to answer. Be- 
fore he had time to frame an excuse, Fannie 
and Amelia came into the room, to greet 
Avery with cordial hand — the open grip of 
their new society. George, somewhat irritated 
that he had not been drawn within this circle of 
peculiar friendship, said : 

“I do not understand your grip, nor do I 
see any meaning to it.” 

Said Fannie, ‘ ‘ George, I hope you will soon 
be ready to start with us : 

“ We rise by the things that are under our feet — 

By what we have mastered of good or gain, 

By the pride deposed and the passion slain, 

And the vanquished ill that we hourly meet.” 

137 


Half=hours with the Christ 


But alas, this was just the point George had 
not reached. Pride was not deposed. He 
could not put his foot upon the first round of 
the ladder until he was willing to step down 
from the throne of self within his heart. He 
was mainly ambitious to stand first at Yale. 
He had thought a few weeks ago that he would 
at once become a Christian when assured that 
some of the first men of this age followed 
Christ. He had been moved greatly for a few 
days at his father’s profession and had been 
amazed at Avery Blanchard, the son of the 
skeptic, almost driven from home, now so 
changed. 

But the bell called them back to the library. 


138 


CHAPTER XV 

CANA AND NAZARETH 

“ p\EFORE Jesus reaches his new home at 
LJ Capernaum he illustrates the blessing 
of a victorious faith, ’ ’ said Mrs. Brown as they 
gathered again about the study table. “As he 
went through the towns and villages of Galilee 
he came to Cana, where he had wrought his first 
miracle. Here a nobleman from Capernaum 
met him, having heard that Jesus had returned 
from Judea. He had journeyed some eighteen 
miles searching for the great physician to hasten 
to his home to heal his dying son. Jesus said, 
‘ Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not 
believe.’ The nobleman said to Jesus, ‘Sir, 
come down ere my child die.’ Jesus then 
said, ‘ Go thy way ; thy son liveth. ’ The man 
trusted his word and went back to Capernaum. 
Before he reached his house his servants met 
him and said, ‘ Thy son liveth. ’ The noble- 
man asked when his son began to amend, and 
they told him that it was at one o’clock the 
day before. The man remembered that that 
was the exact hour when Jesus had spoken the 
word. 


i39 


Half=hours with the Christ 


“We see, again, how faith relieves the mind 
from worry and rests the body. This noble- 
man could have reached home the same day, 
had he hastened, but he believed Jesus and so 
tarried all night by the way to get his needed 
rest. He could sleep now because he trusted 
the Master’s word. What a load of crushing 
anxiety dropped ! He trusted both his son 
and his soul in the care of Jesus. 

“ ‘According to your faith be it unto you,’ 
was the lesson Jesus always taught. He is 
teaching that lesson still. The man had heard 
much from his neighbors about Jesus’ healing 
the sick. Jesus said to him, ‘But you will not 
now trust me unless you see a miracle. ’ The 
nobleman said, ‘ I do not ask to see anything. 
Come down that my son may not die ! ’ Faith 
was the victor. 

“But in that tour of Galilee Jesus came 
soon to Nazareth where no faith greeted him,” 
continued the leader. “Doubt begets jealousy 
and malice. Jesus was always teaching by op- 
posites. Cana and Nazareth, only six miles 
apart, were in one sense the distance of the 
tropics from the poles ; faith is a genial sun 
that ripens abundant harvests, while doubt is 
cold and dark and destructive. Jesus, just 
from Samaria where a sinful woman believed 
and gladdened a whole city by her faith, and 
140 


Cana and Nazareth 


from Cana where the honorable nobleman 
trusted his word with childlike confidence, 
must meet banishment from Nazareth that we 
might see how doubt dooms souls and cities. 

“He came to Nazareth where he had been 
brought up ; and as was his custom he went to 
the synagogue on the Sabbath. They gave 
him the book, and he turned to Isaiah and 
read the prophecy of the coming Messiah, how 
he should preach good tidings to the poor, 
proclaim liberty to captives, heal the broken- 
hearted, restore sight to the blind, and preach 
the acceptable year of the Lord. Then he 
said to them, ‘This day is this scripture ful- 
filled. But you are saying : Show us a sign ; 
do the things that we have heard that you are 
doing in Capernaum and elsewhere. ‘ But, ’ 
said Jesus, ‘it has always been since the days 
of Elijah that blessings come to those who 
believe. * 

“Then they were enraged, and led Jesus to 
the brow of the hill, intending to cast him down 
headlong. But he passed through the midst 
of them and went on his way to Capernaum. 
For one brief moment they caught some vision 
of his majesty that overawed them, and he 
passed on unharmed. No miracle or healing 
or believing convert is recorded there after 
this, because of their unbelief. ’ * 

141 


Half=hours with the Christ 

George Bancroft sat through this lesson with 
a very unhappy mind. For a week past he 
had been tempted and had gone back to Mr. 
Blanchard, his old skeptical friend, for consola- 
tion. In fact, at times he thought of taking 
some course that would shock Fannie Brown, 
from mere jealousy that she seemed so inde- 
pendent of himself in all her happiness. He 
envied Avery his calm, restful countenance and 
complete fellowship with all these surroundings. 
But envy was ready to burst into hate, and now 
his feelings were like the troubled sea whose 
waves cast up mire and dirt. As Mrs. Brown 
went on picturing the Saviour going with great 
blessing wherever faith opened a door for his 
coming, and then portrayed the murderous 
spirit that doubt and envy brought, George 
almost trembled at his peril. Fannie Brown 
sat opposite. Her eye caught signs of the 
conflict of his soul in his pale face and knit 
brow. She felt that the crisis had come. All 
her sympathies were aroused. 

“Mother,” said Fannie, “do you think 
Jesus ever visited Nazareth again after they 
led him to the brow of the hill to cast him 
down ? ’ * 

“It is difficult to tell,” said Mrs. Brown, 
“whether Mark speaks of a later visit to Naz- 
areth when he tells us that Jesus could do no 
142 


Cana and Nazareth 


mighty works there and marveled because of 
their unbelief. Some think that he never came 
to Nazareth again. But there was a last visit. 
Perhaps it was this. Fannie, please read these 
lines from Farrar.” 

Fannie read the marked paragraph with a 
tender pathos in her voice : “ ‘And so he left 
them, never apparently to return again ; never, 
if we are right in the view here taken, to preach 
in their little synagogue. Did any feelings of 
merely human regret weigh down his soul while 
he was wending his weary steps down the steep 
hill-slope toward Cana of Galilee? Did any 
tear start in his eyes unbidden as he stood, 
perhaps for the last time, to gaze from thence 
upon the rich plain, and on the purple heights 
of Carmel? Were there any from whom he 
grieved to be severed, in the green, secluded 
valley where his manhood had labored and his 
childhood had played? We know only that 
henceforth other friends awaited him away- 
from boorish Nazareth, and that henceforth 
his home, so far as he had a home, was in the 
little city of Capernaum, beside the sunlit waters 
of the Galilean lake. ’ ’ 1 

“Yes,” said Mrs. Brown, “this may have 
been his last visit to Nazareth when he preached 
that most touching of all his sermons in their 
synagogue, and they drove him forever from 
M3 


Half=hours with the Christ 


their midst. Perhaps he came once more. 
But doubt still barred the doors against him. 
And yet doubt is only want of faith. It is the 
night with the sun gone down. ’ ’ 

Fannie was again looking at George. As he 
caught her gaze of sympathy, his jealous mad- 
ness was overawed, somewhat as that look of 
the innocent Christ cast a spell over the en- 
raged Nazarenes when they stood on the brow 
of the hill. 

Then George turned to the leader and said, 
“Mrs. Brown, what is faith? It seems all 
dark to me.” 

“It is only doing what the nobleman did, 
George,” she answered; “it is simply taking 
Jesus at his word. But in its effects it is 
everything, because faith puts our lives under 
Christ’s protecting care and gives us a sweet 
sense of his presence. Christ went down from 
Nazareth on that weary journey, and when he 
came upon the shore of the sea of Galilee he 
saw Andrew and Peter casting their net. He 
called them, saying, ‘ Follow me and I will 
make you fishers of men.’ They had been 
with Jesus enough to know what that meant ; 
so they immediately left all and followed him. 
George, you ask, What is faith ? That was real 
faith, when they walked out at the bidding of 
Jesus to do his will. 


144 


Cana and Nazareth 


“How much Jesus needed friends as he 
came down from Nazareth that day ! But he 
is hungering for friendship now, just as then. 
When these men of our town reject Jesus, he 
walks out alone and calls for those he has a 
right to expect will be his friends. Shall they 
too refuse to hear his voice ? Faith is another 
name for friendship. It links two in loving 
companionship. Jesus went a little farther and 
saw James and John mending their nets ; and 
he called them also, and immediately they left 
all and followed him. They teach us what 
faith means. It is trusting one’s life in his 
care and promptly following where he leads. ’ ’ 

As the lesson closed Avery was obliged to 
hasten back to be ready for any calls the night 
might bring. The evening’s lesson had been 
just what he needed. His faith had led him 
from home, and his eye had been so constantly 
on Jesus as he went from place to place, that 
he seemed to be living now in Capernaum, 
and was ready for any call that might come. 

George went immediately to his room. He 
had lost the bitterness of the past few days, for 
during the lesson he felt that he had been 
borne along by evil impulses much as the men 
at Nazareth. He was frightened when he 
thought what feelings he had cherished. There 
was now a new conflict between his old pride 
k 145 


Haif=hours with the Christ 


and an awakened conscience. It was a deeper 
struggle than he had before known. He too 
could almost hear the voice of Jesus as he 
walked along the shore, calling the fishermen 
to leave all and follow him. 

He at last dropped into a troubled sleep and 
dreamed that he had joined with a company of 
unbelievers who had led Jesus to the brow of the 
quarry back of the town, where they were about 
to hurl him down the rocks, when the Saviour 
gave them such a look of injured innocence 
and grieved majesty that they stood paralyzed, 
and Jesus passed out of his sight. He awak- 
ened with a deep conviction that his feelings 
of desperation the past week had been very 
much akin to his dream. He arose from his 
bed, dressed, and quietly went out upon the 
street, thinking a walk would quiet his excited 
nerves. As he saw the hills beyond the town, 
he felt a profound satisfaction that his dream 
had not been a reality. Yet his thoughts 
would follow the scene in Christ’s life when he 
left Nazareth to go down to Capernaum where 
other friends welcomed him to their homes. 
He could not rid himself of the impression 
that he had been associated some way with 
rejecting Jesus, and that the Saviour was pass- 
ing away to find other friends. 

He recalled Fannie Brown’s anxious ques- 
146 


Cana and Nazareth 


tion in the lesson, “Did Jesus ever visit Naz- 
areth again after they led him to the brow of 
the hill ? * ’ He remembered her mother’ s 
reply, “It is difficult to tell ; some think he 
never came to Nazareth again!” George 
stopped and looked down the valley, as if he 
could see Jesus in the distance moving away 
never to return. £ ‘ Is this a reality, or am I 
still dreaming ? ” he said to himself. 

Just then he heard a carriage coming in the 
opposite direction. He turned and saw Avery 
and the doctor driving rapidly. They turned 
upon another street before reaching him. He 
walked after them for a short distance till he 
was quite sure he saw the carriage standing in 
front of Mr. Blanchard’s. Thus awakened 
from his reverie, he went back to his own 
home and quietly sought his couch again. 
He felt assured that some new events were 
occurring as real as those when Jesus walked 
this earth. 


147 


CHAPTER XVI 


WELCOMED HOME 

I N the few days that Avery Blanchard had 
been in the doctor’s home he had been 
so faithful and obliging as to win the love of 
every member of the family. He had scarcely 
been absent a moment, except to recite his 
lessons in the forenoon, during all the ten days. 
While absent that evening with Mrs. Brown’s 
class, they had spoken of what a treasure this 
faithful boy was in their household. And when 
he returned, Mrs. Sinnett and the children, as 
well as the doctor, greeted him so cordially 
that Avery forgot the sadness that had op- 
pressed him on the way while thinking that he 
had been driven from his own home. 

4 4 Avery, ’ ’ said Mrs. Sinnett, 4 4 while you 
have been gone, I have been thinking that, as 
we have all become so much attached to you, 
it does not seem right for you to lodge in the 
coachman’s room, out in the barn. So you 
are to take the room just back of the office, 
called the assistant’s room. You are now to 
be one of the family, and I hope you may be 
with us many years. ’ ’ 


148 


Welcomed Home 


So unexpected was this greeting that Avery 
was touched to tears. In a moment he replied, 
“You are very kind; but my room is good 
enough and better than I deserve. While 
there is so much sickness and so many night 
calls I can better serve the doctor by lodging 
at the barn. * ’ He was thinking of that weary 
journey of Jesus when rejected from Nazareth, 
as he went down to Capernaum. So vivid was 
the impression the lesson had left that Avery 
felt just as if his Saviour was that very night on 
the lonely walk ; and he did not want a better 
room for himself until he knew how Christ 
fared in his new home. 

That very midnight he was called to drive 
the doctor quickly to see his own father. The 
grippe had turned to typhoid pneumonia, and 
Mr. Blanchard was in a very critical con- 
dition. His sickness touched the hearts of all 
the little circle of friends that had been meet- 
ing in the Bancroft library, but none more 
than that of George. Only three days before 
that sudden illness, as we have seen, he had 
gone back to Mr. Blanchard for new infidel 
arguments that he might vex the friends who 
were so interested in his own conversion. 

It was now nearing Christmas. Mrs. Brown 
was preparing to make the meeting of her class 
on Christmas Eve, the next week, a return to 
149 


Half=hours with the Christ 


the Bethlehem scenes, giving the children some 
tableaux of the wise men, the shepherds, the 
angel songs, etc. But their minds were all so 
anxious about Mr. Blanchard, that they were 
not in the mood to enter into the preparations. 
Every day Mrs. Brown dropped in to aid Mrs. 
Blanchard and encourage her to hope that 
some blessing was to come out of the affliction. 
The banker went often to watch a part of the 
night with his old neighbor who had so isolated 
himself for many years. He also secured an 
experienced nurse at his own expense to take 
the entire care. 

When Christmas Eve came the class met, 
drawn together both by their mutual interest 
in Mr. Blanchard and their growing desire to 
follow the Christ after his rejection from Naz- 
areth. Avery came and reported that the 
doctor said that the typhoid symptoms had 
abated and that Mr. Blanchard was no longer 
delirious, but that the lungs were in such con- 
dition as to leave little hope of recovery. 

“Then,” said Mrs. Brown, “suppose we 
have a short lesson to-night, following Jesus on 
to Capernaum. The life of Christ for the next 
few days may give us just the faith we need for 
our anxious minds. In our last lesson we saw 
the Saviour after that lonely walk of twenty- 
four miles from Nazareth to the sea near Ca- 

150 


Welcomed Home 


pernaum, meeting four of the disciples as they 
were fishing, and hailing them as henceforth 
‘ fishers of men.’ You can almost see the five 
walk together along the shore, planning wider 
work. 

“The next day was the Sabbath. It was a 
busy day with Jesus. In the morning he went 
with the people to the synagogue. After the 
Scripture lesson Jesus taught the people with 
such earnestness and power that they were 
astonished, for he spoke as one that had 
authority. 

4 ‘ Into the synagogue had come a man that 
was possessed of evil spirits ; and he cried out, 
or rather the demons in the man, ‘Thou Jesus 
of Nazareth, art thou come to destroy us? I 
know thee who thou art, the Holy One of 
God.’ Then Jesus commanded the unclean 
spirits to come out of him. And the people 
were amazed when they saw the man calm and 
in his right mind. At the close of the services 
the excited conversation of those returning to 
their homes passed from lips to lips until the 
whole region was stirred to see Jesus and have 
him heal their friends. 

“Jesus was first taken to the home where 
Peter’s wife’s mother lay sick of a fever, and 
they sought his healing. Then Jesus, in the 
presence of the four disciples who were now to 


Half=hours with the Christ 


be with him seeking to save men, took the sick 
woman by the hand, and immediately the fever 
left her, and she prepared their meal. By the 
time the sun was setting crowds returned from 
all parts of the city, bringing the diseased, 
especially those possessed with devils, and a 
great company were healed. * ’ 

4 4 Are people now possessed with evil spirits 
like these men in Christ’ s time ? ’ ’ asked one 
of the class. 

“It would seem,” replied the leader, “that 
there was an outer manifestation of the power 
of evil spirits, as seen in their bodily afflictions, 
that is not generally permitted since the age 
when the gospel was established. During the 
days of Christ’s earthly mission, spirits subject 
to the evil one exercised a direct influence 
over the souls and bodies of certain men, that 
the world might learn two great lessons. What 
are these lessons ? ’ ’ 

They all sat a moment in silent thought. 
Then said Fannie, “It shows us that Jesus is 
stronger than all our worst enemies, if we put 
ourselves under his control.” 

“Yes,” said Mrs. Brown, “it put the power 
of Jesus so plainly before the eyes of the people 
that they had no excuse for rejecting him as a 
teacher come from God. When his enemies 
accused him of doing these works through the 
!52 


Welcomed Home 


power of Beelzebub, Jesus could reply, ‘How 
can Satan cast out Satan ! ’ No one thing 
could so powerfully appeal to their minds that 
he came as a divine Saviour to bless the world, 
as his casting out evil spirits. But there is still 
another reason why demons were allowed this 
control of men at that age when God’s word 
was being prepared for our study. Think a 
moment ; does it not occur to you ? ’ * 

Then Avery Blanchard, whose thoughts had 
been going back to the wild associations that 
came so near ruining him the past summer, 
said : “ Mrs. Brown, don’t you think that evil 
now sometimes leads us so far into thoughtless 
sin, that when we come to ourselves we seem 
to have acted just like these men with the evil 
spirits ? ’ ’ 

“Exactly,” said the leader; “the men pos- 
sessed with devils were great object-lessons for 
our study. They show us that all sin is an 
alliance with Satan, and that it tends to bind 
us hand and foot in the power of the evil one. 
The Saviour has come to deliver us from be- 
coming just such spiritual wrecks ! There is a 
verse of an old hymn that comes to me : 

“ How far may we go on in sin? 

How long does God forbear ? 

Where does hope end, and where begin 
The confines of despair ? 

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Half=hours with the Christ 


“ How ready Jesus was to redeem these men 
from this awful bondage ! Yet the next morn- 
ing when the crowds came, he had already 
retired to a place of secret prayer. When 
messengers found him and told of the multi- 
tudes seeking him, he replied, ‘ I must preach 
the kingdom of God to other cities also ; for 
therefore am I sent. ’ Then he went and called 
his disciples from their fishing again, saying to 
Peter, ‘ Henceforth thou shalt catch men. ’ 
Then after, or possibly just before, calling Mat- 
thew, the tax-gatherer, to leave the receipt of 
custom in Capernaum, he spent three busy 
months in a general tour of Galilee preaching 
the kingdom and calling men to forsake sin, 
more anxious to save men than to heal them. 
Thus we come to the second Passover when he 
begins another year of public teaching at Jeru- 
salem. This first has been the year of rejec- 
tion from Nazareth and welcome to homes of 
ever-faithful friends at Capernaum. What ef- 
fect did it have upon Jesus’ work to be driven 
from Nazareth?” 

“It gave him new friends and wider oppor- 
tunity to do good,” was readily answered. 

“Yes,” said the leader; “and with cheer- 
ful spirit the Saviour took up the increasing 
toil, though Nazareth had driven him away in 
lonely sorrow. ’ ’ 


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Welcomed Home 


As it was Christmas Eve they decided to 
shorten the lesson for special conversation on 
their peculiar circumstances. Avery Blanchard 
had not seen his father, realizing that he must 
wait until this was asked by the sick man. The 
new turn of the disease, leaving him with a few 
days of clear mind if he must die, gave Mrs. 
Brown strong hope that prayer had been an- 
swered. She said to the little company : 

“ Before we separate let us bow together, 
asking our Saviour to give us opportunity to 
show his loving favor to our sick friend in such 
a way that Christ may be seen in us. Jesus 
visits the homes of the sick now by using his 
disciples who go in his name.” 

So vividly had they all seen Christ blessing 
the sick in Capernaum, that they felt themselves 
now near his power. They believed that faith 
could put their sick friend in the care of Jesus 
and rest assured of his direct guidance. Ten- 
der and trusting were the prayers of the leader 
and of the young Christians who followed. 
They went out from that room confident that 
Christ would use them. 

That evening Mr. Blanchard asked his wife 
what had happened. She told him of his 
severe sickness, his burning fever and conse- 
quent stupor, and that Lyman Bancroft had 
been much with him and had now provided 
155 


HaIf=hours with the Christ 

this trained nurse, that Mrs. Brown had been 
daily assisting her in the kitchen, preparing 
poultices and giving encouragement. The sick 
man was deeply moved by the kindness of these 
friends whom he had been bitter in denounc- 
ing as hypocrites only a few days before. He 
did not reply, but Mrs. Blanchard wiped away 
the tears that stood upon his pale cheeks. 

The next morning when the doctor came the 
sick man asked after Avery. 

“He is in our home,” said the physician, 
“and I do not know what I should have done 
without him during the past two weeks, for I 
have been called day and night. Avery always 
asks after you, Mr. Blanchard. He is a son of 
whom you may well feel proud. ’ ’ 

The sick man whispered that he would like 
to see his son. 

“Certainly ; he will be delighted, if it is your 
request,” replied the doctor. 

When Avery returned from his recitations, 
he came at once to the office to inquire con- 
cerning his father. 

The doctor said : “ He is perfectly rational. 
He inquired for you, and asked if he might see 
you. After dinner you may drive me there, 
and if he is no worse, I will leave you to spend 
a little time with him. ’ ’ 

Avery then went to his room in the barn, to 

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Welcomed Home 


be alone for a few minutes. He could have 
no idea whether his father would insist that he 
should now yield his faith and return ; but he 
thought of Mrs. Brown’s prayer the evening 
before, “that opportunity now be given for 
Christ to be seen in us ! ” At the hour he 
went and was welcomed by his father. 


157 


CHAPTER XVII 


BETHESDA 

B ARTON BROWN had never missed a les- 
son since this study commenced. He 
had passed on quietly from week to week, 
never revealing his deepest inner thoughts to 
any one. He cared little now for associating 
with other boys. He never sat down at home 
without a book, and was soon lost in its pages 
to all that surrounded him. He carried home 
two or three volumes from the town library 
every week, and often spent an hour canvass- 
ing the Bancroft shelves. Yet he never asked 
to be excused from the study of the Christ. 
In any review he could trace the journeys of 
the Saviour, as far as the lessons had gone, 
with the most perfect memory. But “ Mount- 
ing Heavenward ’ ’ was not yet his professed 
motto. His mother and sister sought to make 
home pleasant for him, avoided stirring his 
temper as far as possible, and waited hopefully 
for his grasping the ladder. 

George Bancroft’s pride in self had been 
quite shocked of late, yet he did not reach 
the point of surrender. “The World’s Parlia- 

158 


Bethesda 


ment of Religions,” in two excellent volumes, 
had just been added to his father’s library. 
He read the addresses of distinguished men of 
all religions with great interest. He followed 
the papers on Confucianism, by the secretary 
of the Chinese legation, with much enthusiasm. 
Pung Kwang Yu showed a personal pride in 
his own theories that made him of kin spirit 
to George. His adroitness in transferring the 
principles of the Christian religion back to the 
great Chinese teacher, and in making Christ 
and Plato and Confucius founders of kindred 
schools of religious philosophy worthy of like 
admiration, gave George new food for his 
doubts. He took pleasure in reading the 
statement of this Chinese official that he had 
been in the public service of the government 
for nearly thirty years ; he could not therefore 
be the royal youth of like name who was the 
pupil of Mrs. Brown a dozen years ago, though 
he did prove to be a relative. 

With the beginning of the new year they 
met for another lesson. “It happens,” said 
Mrs. Brown, “ that our New Year’s Eve lesson 
is the beginning of a new year in Christ’ s min- 
istry. Here John tells us that there was a 
feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jeru- 
salem. It was his second Passover and marks 
a new era in his teaching. ’ ’ 

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Half=hours with the Christ 


Then they took their Bibles and studied the 
fifth chapter of John, to see how the second 
year of Christ’s public ministry began. 

“How did Jesus begin his mission as a 
teacher come from God at Jerusalem one year 
before?” inquired Mrs. Brown. 

“By cleansing the temple, foretelling his 
death and resurrection, and teaching Nicode- 
mus the necessity of men being ‘ born again, ’ ’ ’ 
answered Barton, whose retentive memory re- 
called at once the lesson of Jesus at the first 
Passover of his ministry. 

“Yes, a clean soul and a pure life,” said 
Mrs. Brown, “was the great lesson that Jesus 
taught through all that first year which he be- 
gan by cleansing the temple ; for that you re- 
member was the 4 white thread,’ the pure 
human life, then woven into his mission. But 
now he began the second year at Jerusalem at 
the pool of Bethesda. The Jews, there and 
then, decided to kill him because he said also 
that ‘ God was his father, making himself equal 
with God.’ There he began that new era in 
his teaching with these words, ‘ that all men 
should honor the Son even as they honor the 
Father.’ This, you remember, was the ‘blue 
thread ’ year into which Jesus wove everywhere 
the thought that he was the Son of God.” 

George Bancroft was now listening carefully, 
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Bethesda 


for he had determined to speak this evening of 
his new notions gathered from the Parliament 
of Religions. His way seemed blocked now 
by this new and positive teaching of Jesus 
that he was the Son of God ! He had the 
new books lying on the table before him, all 
pencil-marked, ready to make his striking 
quotations that Jesus and Confucius and Plato 
were alike great philosophers. He had felt 
sure that he could puzzle the teacher with his 
new wisdom. 

“Bethesda, you know, means * house of 
mercy, ’ * ’ said Mrs. Brown, ‘ ‘ and furnished 
our Saviour a beautiful place at which to begin 
his new year, as he stood on one of its five 
porches. Nature has probably never furnished 
a more striking picture of Christ’s gospel of 
mercy, than this fountain of healing.” 

4 ‘ Why do you think it was a natural spring ? ’ ’ 
said Mr. Bancroft ; “it has always seemed a 
mystery to me, this account of the pool of 
Bethesda. ’ ’ 

“Dr. Robinson, who spent many years in 
exploring the Holy Land, has thrown much 
light upon Bethesda,” said the leader. “He 
identifies this pool with the upper fountain of 
Siloam, which he found to be an intermittent 
spring which he himself saw bubbling up at 
times. Barton, will you read this description 
l 161 


HaIf=hours with the Christ 


from Trench on the ‘ Miracle at Bethesda ’ ? ” 
Barton took the volume from his mother’s 
hand and read these statements from Jerome, 
Prudentius, and early Christian scholars, as 
here quoted : 

4 ‘ ‘ Siloam . . . which is not a perpetual 
spring, but bubbles up at certain seasons and 
days, coming with a great noise through hol- 
lows of the earth and caves of the hardest 
rock — the waters rapidly bubbling up in the 
basin of this fountain, and in a few minutes 
retreating again. ’ Another says, ‘ Siloam 
pours forth its waters at varying times, and 
does not gush with any constant flow, but on 
marked occasions the lake receives bountiful 
draughts. Crowds of feeble persons are de- 
voured with thirsting hope of this covetous 
stream, waiting to wash away diseases of their 
limbs by swimming in its pure waters. ’ ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ These waters seemed to have healing 
properties for certain diseases,” said Mrs. 
Brown. “But as they soon retreated to the 
caves below, the people watched anxiously for 
the flow. There are in some parts of the earth 
now such intermittent springs that have great 
healing effects. And I do not know of any 

The pool of Bethesda has been discovered recently 
in the church of St. Anne, a spot quite distinct from 
Siloam [Ed.]. 


162 


Bethesda 


better name for a house built at such a place 
than Bethesda, ‘ house of mercy. ’ ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ This shows me new beauty in this scrip- 
ture,” said the banker, “and I shall always 
link it with Jesus’ second Passover and his be- 
ginning to teach plainly that he was the Son 
of God.” 

* ‘ This miracle at the ‘ house of mercy, ’ 
said the leader, “pointed out Jesus as the 
promised Messiah, called by the prophets, 
* The sure mercies of David, ’ and by apostles, 
‘ The merciful high priest in things pertaining 
to God.’ The man who waited at the pool, 
helpless and friendless and despairing, was 
made whole by the word of our Lord. It was 
the Sabbath. Therefore the Jews persecuted 
Jesus for healing on the Sabbath. Jesus an- 
swered that his Father did deeds of mercy 
always, and therefore he, himself, did also. 
Then they plotted to put him to death, and 
never ceased till they nailed him to the cross, 
just two years afterward, and with this same 
charge as their only excuse, ‘ that he made 
himself equal to God.’ 

“ He answered their charge now by appeal- 
ing to three witnesses ; who were they ? ’ ’ 
They followed down this discourse of Jesus 
to his persecutors, and read that (i) John, “a 
burning and a shining light” bore witness, 
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Half=hours with the Christ 


(2) “The works that I do bear witness of 
me, that the Father hath sent me,” (3) “The 
Father himself hath borne witness of me. . . 
Search the scriptures.” 

“These are the three kinds of witnesses that 
stand to-day : ‘ The shining light ’ Christians, 
or true disciples, that always proclaim Christ 
as their Saviour ; the work of the gospel in 
transforming the world to-day in his name ; 
and the unwavering testimony of the Scriptures 
that Jesus was the Son of God. Jesus an- 
nounced, on that first day of the new era in 
his teaching, the very witnesses that appeal to 
us to-day to receive him as our Lord. These 
three witnesses agree and ought to convince 
every honest man. * * 

George Bancroft was in utter confusion at 
this appeal to Christ’s witnesses. He saw that 
Jesus made it a new phase of his teaching from 
this very hour. 

“Notice,” said Mrs. Brown, “from this 
Passover Jesus is closing almost every miracle, 
for a time at least, with an appeal to his divine 
glory foreshadowed. He often points to Moses 
and the prophets in their references to Mes- 
siah. He sometimes appeals to his disciples, 

4 Whom say ye that I am?”’ 

Then they followed Christ back to Galilee, 
for he did not tarry now in Judea. On the 
164 


Bethesda 


way, they saw him and his disciples encamped 
on the Sabbath near the wheat fields ; and 
being hungry they rubbed out a few grains in 
their hands for food. The Pharisees accused 
them of breaking the Sabbath. Jesus replied, 
‘ ‘ The Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath. ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ When they came to the sea of Tiberias, ’ * 
said Mrs. Brown, “great crowds from all parts 
of the land were following him, the diseased 
pressing up to touch him, if they might be 
healed. Unclean spirits fell down before him 
and cried saying, ‘ Thou art the Son of God. ’ 
But he charged the unclean spirits that they 
should not make him known, but let the 
Scriptures bear witness with his words and 
works that he was the promised one in whose 
name the Gentiles should trust. He is every- 
where pressing upon them to trust him as the 
Son of God.” 

As they finished this lesson concerning Beth- 
esda’s marking a new era in the teaching of 
Jesus, and his appealing henceforth to his 
chosen witnesses that he was the Son of God, 
their thoughts turned to Mr. Blanchard, the 
sick neighbor, who had so long insisted that 
Jesus Christ was only a deluded man at most. 
They asked Avery, who had often been with 
him the past week, about the dying man’s 
thoughts. 

* 6 5 


Ha!f=hours with the Christ 


“A great change is going on in father’s 
mind,” said Avery. “When he knew what 
Mr. Bancroft and Mrs. Brown and some other 
Christians had done for him, after all he had 
said against them, he asked to see me. I ex- 
pected he would try to make me take a pledge 
not to come to this study, but when I went in 
he took me by the hand as he never had done 
before. He could not speak for a few minutes ; 
then he whispered, ‘Your new friends have 
been very kind to me ; how can they do this 
after all I have said ? ’ I did not know what 
it was best to say, but I answered, ‘ They have 
not said anything to me about it ; don’ t you 
think it is because they are Christians, father ? ’ 
He still held me by the hand and said, ‘ My 
son, what do you know about this thing they 
call religion ? Have I been wrong all my 
life ? ’ 

“Then I said, ‘Father, it has made a great 
change in my life since I began to study about 
Jesus and try to follow him ; I know I feel 
very different toward you and everybody else 
now. I can’t argue about it, but I know it 
has changed me all around from what I used 
to be. Doesn’t that prove, father, that I 
ought to hold tight to such a friend as that ? ’ 
But father was too weak to talk more then ; so 
he lay holding my hand, with a tear on his 
166 


Bethesda 


cheek. Mother came in and wiped his face, 
and said, ‘ Does it seem good to see our boy 
again ? ’ He made a slight movement of the 
lips, and the old cloud was gone from mother’ s 
face. It seemed to me to-night when you 
said, Mrs. Brown, that Jesus had now three 
kinds of witnesses, his friends, his works, and 
his word, that father had received the witness 
of the friends of Jesus ; and I hope he will see 
the work of Jesus in my new life ; then I think 
he will be ready to listen to the other witness, 
the word of Jesus.” 

As this was New Year’s Eve, they adopted 
as a Scripture motto for the coming year the 
words of Jesus, “Ye are my friends, if ye do 
whatsoever I command you. ’ ’ They separated 
with the hearty greeting, “A Happy New 
Year !” 


167 


CHAPTER XVIII 


MOUNTAIN INSTRUCTION 

T HERE was a sacred awe thrown about this 
group of friends through these days, by 
their intimate relations with Mr. Blanchard 
who was lingering between two worlds. Doc- 
tor Sinnett honestly told him that his condition 
was very unfavorable to recovery. His mind 
was clear and his thoughts grasped the fact of 
a near eternity. He wanted to see Avery and 
Mr. Bancroft every day. 

One would sit with him awhile in the morning 
and the other in the afternoon. Lyman Bancroft 
and Ira Blanchard had been intimate friends 
in their youth, but had afterward been widely 
separated in their tastes and associations for 
many years. The banker’s great kindness to 
the sick man had swept away the barriers and 
restored the intimacy and affection of boyhood. 
Conversion had brought back the childlike 
spirit of youth to the one, and sickness and 
approaching death caused the other to live 
over again the days of hopefulness in the home 
of his Christian mother, when the two boys 
had been so much together. 

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Mountain Instruction 


Avery sat with his hand clasped in his 
father’ s while he stayed in the room. He had 
the soothing touch of the true family physician, 
and now that he was permitted to watch with 
his dying father, he seemed to anticipate every 
little comfort without the asking. Both Avery 
and Mr. Bancroft were watchful of the man’s 
whispered talk, seeking where they might drop 
a word concerning the rest of the soul in the 
merciful Saviour. 

“Yes, but I am too weak to think much 
now — too late for me, I fear, ’ ’ said he one day 
as he held Avery’s hand. 

Then Avery told his father the story of 
Bethesda and the man helpless for thirty-eight 
years ; but that Jesus only asked him if he 
really wished to be healed. ‘ 4 Why, father, it 
was because Jesus knew the man was such a 
bad cripple, and had been a long time in that 
way, that he cured him at once,” said Avery. 
Then Mr. Blanchard asked his son to read that 
chapter to him. And Avery took his Testa- 
ment from his pocket and began, saying, 
“Father, Bethesda means ‘house of mercy,’ 
and that is where Jesus began to tell the people 
plainly that he was the Son of God. ’ ’ 

“ My son, where did you learn that? ” said 
Mr. Blanchard, turning over on his elbow and 
lifting his head. 


169 


Half=hours with the Christ 


“This was our last lesson in the life of 
Jesus,” said Avery; “and Mrs. Brown told us 
always to remember that Jesus as the Son of 
God standing at the ‘ house of mercy ’ showed 
both God’s power and love by healing a man 
who could do nothing but tell Jesus that he 
was helpless.” 

Mr. Blanchard dropped his head back upon 
the pillow, exhausted by his effort. For a 
while he lay motionless as if passing away. In 
a few minutes he opened his eyes and whis- 
pered, “At the house of mercy ! At the house 
of mercy ! ’ ’ 

“Yes, father, you believe now that Jesus 
came to show our Heavenly Father’s mercy, 
and to take us back with him to the heavenly 
mansions, don’ t you ? ’ ’ 

“I believe it,” he answered, “while you 
read it and hold my hand ; but I have tried so 
long to argue myself out of it, that my old 
doubts come back and haunt me as soon as 
you and Lyman Bancroft are gone.” 

Thus the struggle had gone on for the past 
week, the sick man getting some new encour- 
aging thought from day to day, from these 
two young disciples, while trying to fight 
back the haunting phantoms of long-cherished 
doubts. 

When the next lesson came Mr. Bancroft 
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Mountain Instruction 


and Avery reported their experiences with the 
sick man, and that he had told them he was 
the helpless man at the 1 house of mercy ’ ; for 
he said it had been thirty-eight years last De- 
cember that he, a youth of eighteen, first read 
Paine’s “Age of Reason,” and gave himself 
up to his life of skepticism. 

Said Mr. Bancroft, ‘ ‘ Mrs. Brown, I have 
been successful in business and acquired what 
men in our village call a fortune, but nothing 
that I possess ever gave anything like the joy 
I had in being able to talk to Mr. Blanchard 
about J esus at Bethesda. Our last lesson seemed 
to describe just his case, and he seemed the 
man that our Saviour had singled out ; and we 
were the few trembling disciples that were fol- 
lowing Jesus about and watching his healing 
signs and mercies.” 

“Oh, yes,” said Mrs. Brown, “this is what 
we need, to see the Christ, who was dwelling in 
the flesh, now living with us. Instead of trying 
to transfer ourselves back to Judea and Galilee 
when the Word was made flesh, eighteen hun- 
dred years ago, let us be assured that he who 
then walked among men in the flesh, is now 
with us — the same Jesus speaking to us by the 
Spirit the very words that then fell from his 
lips. Mr. Bancroft, you and Avery have been 
with Jesus at Bethesda, the past week, as truly 
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Half=hours with the Christ 


as were Peter and John at Jerusalem. This is 
the blessing of a careful and prayerful study of 
the life of Jesus.” 

Then they started along with the Master 
after his return to Galilee. They saw how 
cunning scribes and carping Pharisees from 
Judea were following him as spies, since he had 
clearly announced his divine character. He 
entered a synagogue and met a man with a 
withered hand. These critics were watching 
to see what Jesus would do. So the Lord 
read their inner thoughts and told them what 
they were thinking. Then he healed the with- 
ered hand, though it was the Sabbath, saying, 
“What man shall there be among you, that 
shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on 
the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it and 
lift it out ? How much then is a man better 
than a sheep ? ’ ’ But these Pharisees went out 
and held a council against him, how they might 
destroy him. 

Then said Mrs. Brown: “In those days, 
early in the second year, and soon after he 
began this new era of teaching, he withdrew 
seven miles back from Capernaum to Mount 
Hattin where he chose twelve disciples whom 
he called apostles, meaning special mission- 
aries, who were to be constantly with Jesus, 
receive his instructions, witness his miracles 
172 


Mountain Instruction 


and all the facts of his death and resurrection, 
and who should then be able to proclaim a 
complete gospel to others, and by inspiration 
of the Holy Spirit make faithful record of his 
life and mission for our study.” 

Then the class looked at these twelve men, 
and saw that six of them were those first 
chosen companions who, a year and a half ago, 
came with Jesus from the Jordan and were 
with him to witness the first miracle at Cana, 
the home of Nathanael, who was also called 
Bartholomew, one of the Twelve. So that the 
chief of the apostles had been with Jesus from 
his baptism in the Jordan, except Matthew, 
the tax-gatherer, who in the streets of Caper- 
naum had left all to follow him only a few 
weeks before the apostles were chosen. 

“Jesus spent the night before in prayer in 
this mountain,” said Mrs. Brown, “and early 
in the morning the Twelve came, no doubt by 
previous appointment, to receive their special 
instructions. Here Jesus stands forth clearly 
as the great teacher come from God. To 
Matthew, who had so recently become a dis- 
ciple, it marked the beginning of Christ’s pub- 
lic teaching. Hence when he wrote his 
Gospel he recorded this sermon immediately 
after the temptation, because it stood out in 
Matthew’s mind as the first great sermon in 
173 


Half-hours with the Christ 


his own memory, and because this 1 Sermon 
on the Mount ’ was always to stand out as dis- 
tinguishing Jesus Christ as the divine teacher 
who here announced that in himself the law 
and the prophets were fulfilled. ’ * 

Then they took up the Sermon on the 
Mount, to study its great seed thoughts. 
“Here you will see,” said the leader, “that 
we still go up into the mountain when we re- 
ceive these teachings of our Saviour. The 
Beatitudes, or the conditions of mind and 
heart that make the true disciple blessed and 
happy, however poor and persecuted, mark 
clearly the change from the law of Moses to 
the grace of Christ.” 

“What is the last word of the Old Testa- 
ment ? ’ ’ said Mrs. Brown. 

They turned to the Bible, and one replied, 

‘ 1 Curse. ’ ’ 

“ And what is the first word of this moun- 
tain sermon that Christ uttered to his dis- 
ciples ? ’ ’ 

“Blessed,” was the reply. 

“This,” said the leader, “gives the dis- 
tinguishing change from the law to the gospel. 
Christ came to redeem us from the cursings of 
a broken law, and to introduce us into the 
blessings of his grace. ’ ’ 

Then the class were asked to notice the 
174 


Mountain Instruction 


things that Jesus lifts up, in this mountain 
instruction, that have enriched the world ; 
‘ ‘ Love your enemies, bless them that curse 
you, do good to them that hate you, and pray 
for them which persecute you.” “This,” 
said Mrs. Brown, “stands alone in the teach- 
ings of our Saviour, as marking a new era in 
the world when Jesus and his disciples breathed 
its spirit. 

“And what else from this sermon is known 
wherever the gospel has gone ? ’ ’ was asked. 
“Yes, here was first uttered the Lord’s Prayer, 
that rises from millions of hearts in every 
corner of the earth, and will remain to the 
end of the world our Saviour’s guide to the 
things we should ever ask in daily prayer. 

“What common sin,” said Mrs. Brown, 
“does Jesus warn against in this sermon — a 
sin that corrupts good manners and that was 
marked as great guilt in the Ten Command- 
ments ? ’ ’ 

They were not long in answering, ‘ ‘ The sin 
of profanity.” 

“ Let us read these words carefully ; for our 
Saviour pleads so tenderly and earnestly 
against every form of swearing and by-words, 
that we need all to seal our lips to idle oaths 
that blaspheme sacred names. How much 
every young man needs to go often up into 
175 


HaIf=hours with the Christ 


the mountain with Christ, that he may guard 
against this vile habit ! ’ ’ 

Then they found in the Sermon on the 
Mount, “Whatsoever ye would that men 
should do to you, do ye even so to them,” 
the Golden Rule, that great principle which 
underlies all true relations to others and is 
essential to peace and prosperity. “Why, 
this law given here by our Saviour, ’ ’ said Mrs. 
Brown, ‘ 1 sweeps throughout all human re- 
lations as the law of gravitation through the 
natural world. It cannot be violated without 
pain and sorrow. If it were everywhere per- 
fectly kept, it would banish wars, prohibit 
strikes, prevent quarrels, and bring the uni- 
versal brotherhood of man. It is Jesus’ gift 
to the world in the Sermon on the Mount.” 

“Notice,” continued Mrs. Brown, “that 
Jesus uttered these great truths as the Lord of 
heaven and earth. He is careful here to lift 
their thoughts to the great judgment day. He 
says, 1 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, 
Lord ! ’ He insists that he will be on the 
throne of the universe, in the day of final re- 
ward. 

4 ‘ In the mountain sermon, from the first 
word, ‘ blessed, ’ to the fall of the ‘ house 
built upon the sand,’ there is the voice of one 
from above, and therefore this discourse binds 
176 


Mountain Instruction 


together the Old Testament and the New, 
as the one book of God. Truly he went up 
into the mountain of highest spiritual vision, 
on the day of its utterance. It towers high 
above all human productions. Let us close 
this lesson with the testimony of Daniel Web- 
ster. Will George please read this statement ? ’ ’ 

The following inscription was in brief, Mr. 
Webster’s confession of faith, or testimony in 
favor of Christianity. It was dictated by Mr. 
Webster a fortnight before his death, and may 
now be read on his monument : 

Lord, I believe ; help thou mine unbelief. 
Philosophical 
argument, especially 
that drawn from the vastness of 
the universe, in comparison with the 
apparent insignificance of this globe, has 
sometimes shaken my reason for the faith 
which is in me ; but my heart has always assured 
and reassured me that the gospel of Jesus Christ 
must be a divine reality. The Sermon 
on the Mount cannot be a merely human 
production. This belief enters into 
the very depth of my conscience. 

The whole history of 
man proves it. 


M 


1 77 


CHAPTER XIX 

RAISING THE DEAD 

HE sick man waited anxiously day by day 



I for the short calls allowed by the phy- 
sician to Avery and Mr. Bancroft. They 
seemed always to come from a visit to the 
Christ. The evening lessons of Jesus in Gali- 
lee had so much in common with their own 
experiences and the longings of the dying 
doubter, that they thought and spoke of the 
Saviour as walking now in their own town. 
Mr. Blanchard seemed to gain victory over his 
haunting doubts while he held the hand of 
either of these two who had come in touch 
with the Man of Galilee. 

When they were gone he seemed to himself 
to be in conflict with evil spirits. He asked 
Avery one day to read the account of the men 
possessed with devils. When he came to the 
demons crying out, “What have we to do 

with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God ” 

‘ ‘ That’ s it, that’ s it ! ’ ’ said Mr. Blanchard. 
“I am tormented with a legion of fierce 
doubts that leave no peace as they once did ; 
they raise a tumult in my soul ; and then I 


i 7 8 


Raising the Dead 


hear voices crying out, ‘Jesus, thou Son of 
God, torment us not ! ’ But when you come 
and hold my hand, this tumult is gone ! ’ ’ 
Avery thought how often he had read of 
Jesus taking people by the hand, and said to 
his father, “You may take the hand of Jesus, 
and he will stay with you all the time.” That 
evening Avery saw a few verses in a religious 
paper that he clipped out to read to his father. 
The next day when he called, Mr. Blanchard 
at once whispered, “Yes, hold my hand — how 
good it feels ! ’ ’ Then Avery read to him of 
Jesus taking a blind man by the hand and lead- 
ing him along the way and putting his hands 
at last on his eyes, and the man saw clearly. 

“ Now, father,” said Avery, “ I found this 
prayer, last night, of one who felt just as you 
do. His little child was frightened in the 
storm one dark night, until it took the father’s 
hand ; then it dropped asleep without any fear. 
As that father’s soul was full of doubts and 
darkness, he then turned to the Lord and 
prayed : 

“ Hold thou my hands ! 

In grief and joy, in hope and fear, 

Lord, let me feel that thou art near, 

Hold thou my hands ! 

“ If e’er by doubts 
Of thy good fatherhood depressed, 

179 


HaIf=hours with the Christ 

I cannot find in thee my rest, 

Hold thou my hands ! 

“ And when at length, 

With darkened eyes and fingers cold, 

I seek some loving hand to hold 
Hold thou my hands ! ” 

“Read that again,” said Mr. Blanchard. 
Slowly and tenderly Avery read the lines over. 
“Once more, my son,” whispered the sick 
man, as the tears ran down his pale face ; 
“read slowly, that I may catch its words.” 
Then he repeated several lines with closed eyes, 

“ Lord, let me feel that thou art near, 

Hold thou my hands ! ” 

Then the sick man, completely exhausted 
by his long effort to grasp and hold all these 
lines, dropped into a most restful sleep, and 
Avery left him in the hands of the watchful 
nurse. 

That night the class met in the Bancroft 
library. They followed Jesus with his disciples 
and the surging crowds back from Mount 
Hattin to Capernaum. They read with new 
interest the account of the centurion, the com- 
mander-in-chief of the Roman army at that 
important post, beseeching Jesus that he would 
heal his dying servant. 

“ Notice,” said the leader. “ that this man 
180 


Raising the Dead 


heartily acknowledged the divine character of 
Jesus, calling him Lord, and saying that he 
himself with all his authority as commander of 
armies, was not worthy that Jesus should come 
under his roof, but asked him only to speak 
the word, and the servant would be healed ! 
Now, observe what Jesus said to the people, 

4 1 have not found so great faith, no, not in 
Israel ! ’ and to the centurion he said, ‘ Go 
thy way ; and as thou hast believed, so be it 
done unto thee.’ And the servant was at 
once healed. Humble faith in him as the Son 
of God was here lifted up for their careful 
study. 

“As he journeyed, all his works and words 
were leading their thoughts up to this same 
trust. The next day they journeyed to south 
Galilee, and we see Jesus with his disciples 
and many people coming to Nain, twenty- five 
miles southwest from Capernaum.” 

Now they were to study Christ as they had 
not seen him before — raising the dead ! 
“Though he healed multitudes, with all forms 
of disease,” said Mrs. Brown, “only three 
times did he bring dead people back to life, 
and always when the faith of special friends 
was being overtaxed. ’ * 

That they might see clearly these facts of res- 
urrection, they were asked to study carefully 
181 


Half-hours with the Christ 


the circumstances of the three cases. “It 
would seem to be the day that Jesus came to 
Nain,” said the leader, “that messengers 
came from John the Baptist in prison asking 
new proof that Jesus was the true Messiah. 
It was only a few days before John was to be 
slain. He was passing through those last try- 
ing scenes when he needed for himself and for 
his disciples special faith. When these two 
messengers arrived Jesus was touched into 
tenderest sympathy for his friend and fore- 
runner, and in the same hour cured many of 
various diseases and gave blind men their 
sight. 

“Just then a funeral procession was passing 
out the city gate. It was the only son of a 
widow. Jesus spoke to her to weep not. He 
who could see into her broken heart, needed 
not that she make her plea in words, so he 
came and touched the bier. The very pause 
of the procession was an act of faith more ex- 
pressive than any words ; hence Jesus said, 
‘Young man, I say unto thee, arise.’ And 
the man sat up, and Jesus presented him to 
his mother. And the whole company glorified 
God. 

‘ ‘ After this J esus told the messengers to go 
back and tell John what they had seen, how 
‘ The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, 
182 


Raising the Dead 


the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the 
dead are raised up, and the poor have the 
gospel preached unto them. And blessed is 
he whosoever shall not be offended in me.’ 
It thus seemed a time when Jesus desired to 
send to John in prison this crowning evidence 
that the promised Messiah had come.” 

Then they examined the records and found 
that only a few days afterward Jesus raised the 
daughter of Jairus at Capernaum. “There 
was here another peculiar appeal to Jesus,” 
said Mrs. Brown. “Not only the ruler of the 
synagogue, who believed on Jesus amidst much 
opposition of his associates, boldly came to 
Christ and fell at his feet worshiping him and 
pleading that he should come to save the dying 
child with the touch of his hand — not only 
this marked faith appealed to the Saviour ; 
but Jesus was about to send out* the twelve 
on their first tour of preaching. The Master 
knew how much they needed their faith 
strengthened. Hence he took three of the 
leaders, Peter, James, and John, into the 
house where the daughter was now dead. 
And he took her by the hand, and said, 4 Maid, 
arise.’ And her spirit came again, and she 
arose immediately. Then he called the Twelve 
together and sent them out, two and two, to 
preach the kingdom of God. How wonder- 

183 


Half-hours with the Christ 


fully he had now equipped their faith for this 
new mission ! ’ ’ 

Then they turned to the last scene, but a 
few days before his crucifixion, when Lazarus 
was raised at Bethany. “The opposition to 
Jesus was growing so fierce,” said the leader, 
“that his disciples needed their faith girded 
more than ever ; so Jesus called back Lazarus 
after he had been four days in the grave. 
The sisters had sent word to Jesus that Lazarus 
was sick. After two days Jesus prepared to go 
to the Bethany friends. The disciples, know- 
ing that the Jews were preparing to kill the 
Master, plead with him not to go. Then 
Jesus told them plainly that Lazarus was dead ; 
but said he to them, ‘I am glad that I was 
not there, to the intent ye may believe. ’ So 
we see that the faith of the disciples was again 
beginning to falter. To give them new trust 
for the awful days hastening, as well as to pre- 
pare the Bethany friends for standing firm, he 
called Lazarus from the very corruption of the 
grave ! Thus he was declared to be the Son 
of God with power at three different times 
when it was a crisis in the faith of his special 
friends. ’ ’ 

As they sat studying these scenes, they saw 
not only the power of the Son of God mani- 
fested, but also the love of Jesus as a friend. 

184 


Raising the Dead 


They observed that it was the widow’s only 
son, Jairus’ only daughter, and the sisters’ 
only brother, that were raised. Thus the 
affection and sympathy of the Saviour, as he 
mingled his compassion and tears with those 
of sorrowing friends, thrilled their hearts anew. 
In all their lessons they had never seen so 
much of the divine power and the tender 
friendship of Jesus united as here. 

They were watching the dying skeptic from 
day to day with such intense interest that 
Christ coming in touch with their own experi- 
ence drew them very close to this lesson. As 
Avery left the library he called to spend a little 
time with his mother in the kitchen, where he 
often went in the evening, of late, to carry 
some comfort, and to be near by in any 
emergency. 

‘ I * * 4 Your father has been more restful since 
you were here to-day,” said Mrs. Blanchard. 
“I went in this afternoon as he was waking, 
and he repeated slowly, 

‘ With darkened eyes and fingers cold, 

I seek some loving hand to hold, 

Hold thou my hands ! ’ 

I thought he was delirious and near death. I 

took his hand and said, ‘Yes, I am here.’ 

Then he looked at me and whispered, ‘ I was 

185 


Half=hours with the Christ 


saying Avery’s prayer.’ He closed his eyes 
again and prayed, over and over, 

‘ Lord, let me feel that thou art near, 

Hold thou my hands ! ’ 

And while I sat with him he dropped into 
another peaceful sleep. ’ ’ 

A day or two afterward Mr. Blanchard asked 
the doctor if he might not see George Ban- 
croft. It was arranged. The skeptic’s sud- 
den illness just after their last private interview 
had so stunned George that he had not since 
revealed his inner feelings to any one. It w r as 
with great surprise that he received the mes- 
sage to visit the dying man. 


186 


CHAPTER XX 


NEW TEACHING 

W HEN George Bancroft entered the sick 
man’s room he was much affected. It 
seemed to him that he was standing in the 
very presence of death. The low whisper, 
the sunken eyes, and the pallid face, at once 
dismissed all thought of resuming their old 
discussions. In a moment all George’s skep- 
tical notions which had bolstered his pride 
abandoned him. Before coming he had 
thought that some of his new speculations 
gathered from the Parliament of Religions 
might be used to comfort his skeptical friend. 
But now the very sight of the yearning coun- 
tenance of this dying man disarmed him. 

Mr. Blanchard took his hand and whispered, 
“ George, strength gone — can say only few 
words — ‘Only one book for a dying man.’ 
My old notions can’ t face death — all failed me. 
George, forgive me, trying to lead you astray — 
Couldn’t die, without seeing you. I wickedly 
sinned — oh, that awful sin ! — Religion, a 
reality — I know by Avery’s change — and the 
kindness of these Christians — after all I abused 
187 


Half=hours with the Christ 


them — I pray for mercy — Don’t neglect — 
don’t trifle ” 

Here his strength failed, and exhausted by 
the great effort he fell back with closed eyes 
and gasped for breath. George felt that he 
had received a message from one crossing the 
threshold of eternity, and it was very different 
teaching from that of former interviews. He 
called the nurse, who raised the sick man’s 
head, chafed his hands, and gave him a stimu- 
lant, and life rallied again, but he was not able 
to speak. George silently left and walked to 
his own home. He went to his room and took 
from his desk a paper which he had been writ- 
ing for the past few weeks on “The Unity of 
all Religions, and the New Church of Human- 
ity Universal!” He had gathered many 
speculations from his late readings that were 
new to him, and he had been looking forward 
anxiously to Mr. Blanchard’s recovery that he 
might read this paper to him and have his 
approval. 

But his essay had now lost its charm. As 
he glanced down his carefully written pages he 
came to this quotation: “But what then 
about sin? Sin as a theological imputation 
will perhaps drop out of the vocabulary of this 
larger communion of the righteous. As a 
weakness to be overcome, as an imperfection 
188 


New Teaching 


to be laid aside, man will simply be reminded 
of his shortcomings. Religion will lift man 
above his weaknesses by reminding him of his 
responsibilities. The goal before is Paradise. ’ ’ 
He looked again, “Sin will perhaps drop out 
of the vocabulary ! ’ ’ Then he thought of 
the dying man’s utterance a few moments be- 
fore, “I have wickedly sinned.” “Ah,” 
thought George, “the conscience of a dying 
man will not let sin drop out.” Then that 
last broken sentence, as Mr. Blanchard swooned 
away, ‘ ‘ Don’ t trifle, ’ ’ came back like a voice 
from the other side ; and George Bancroft said 
within himself, “That notion can’t face death, 
either, ’ ’ and he took his pen and wrote on the 
margin of that paragraph of his paper, 

* ‘ False ! ’ ’ 

He looked upon the next page and found 
another quotation, “Will this new faith have 
its bible ? It retains all the old bibles of man- 
kind, words of Jesus and of Buddha alike, 
but gives them a new luster. Religion is not 
a question of literature, but of life. God’s 
revelation is continuous, not contained in tab- 
lets of stone or sacred parchment.” Then 
George recalled Mr. Blanchard’s whisper of 
Walter Scott’s last words, “There is only one 
book for a dying man.” Again he said to 
himself, “This theory cannot face death, for 
189 


Half-hours with the Christ 


it was what Mr. Blanchard was always teach- 
ing. ” He took the paper on which he had 
spent so much time and care and in which he 
had centered all his pride, tore it to bits and 
threw it in the waste-basket. He sat in a sur- 
prised daze, as a man might when a sudden 
flood arises and washes away all his possessions. 

The lesson evening came. All were again 
present. The leader announced the theme, 
“New Teaching. ’ ’ They followed Jesus back 
from Nain, where he raised the widow’s son, 
to Capernaum. They noticed the invitation 
there to dine at the Pharisee’s house, where 
the sinful woman came in and washed the feet 
of Jesus with her tears and wiped them with 
the hairs of her head, and anointed his feet 
with precious ointment. 

1 1 The Pharisee, ’ ’ said Mrs. Brown, ‘ ‘ thought 
within himself, ‘Jesus does not know what sort 
of a woman this is, or he would not permit 
this act.’ Then Jesus answered the man’s 
thoughts, to show that he as the Son of God 
could read the inner heart. There and then 
Jesus uttered his first parable, which afterward 
became his chosen way of instruction. Here 
is the beginning of new teaching, new as to 
the forgiveness of great sins and as to sins that 
have no forgiveness, as well as the new form of 
parable teaching. 


190 


New Teaching 


“Now, what is a parable ?” asked the 
leader. They thought for a moment and 
seemed puzzled for language to express it. 

Then Amelia, the youngest, said, ‘ ‘ Earthly 
words with a heavenly meaning. ’ ’ 

“Yes, Amelia, I do not think abetter defi- 
nition can be found,” said Mrs. Brown. “It 
is just that, earthly words, or an account of 
things as they happen every day, in which 
there is a deeper thought of spiritual things. 
It was only a few days after this first parable 
that Jesus came back to Capernaum and taught 
by the seaside in parables altogether, beginning 
with, ‘a sower went forth to sow,’ and follow- 
ing with the mustard seed, the leaven, the 
parable of the tares, treasure hid in a field, 
the pearl of great price, the net cast into the 
sea — the seven parables which some have 
thought formed the most wonderful sermon 
the world has ever known. 

“But many do not notice that this new 
form of teaching by parables Jesus did not 
begin until near the end of the second year 
of his ministry. They do not observe that 
Jesus linked this parable-teaching with his 
announcement of great sins forgiven, and sin 
that cannot be forgiven. Notice how he said, 
‘All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be 
forgiven unto men ; but the blasphemy against 
191 


half=hours with the Christ 


the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven unto 
men. ’ Then we are told that the same day 
Jesus sat by the seaside and spake many things 
unto them in parables. So he had a new text 
for his new teaching, ‘ eternal sin, ’ and this he 
illustrated by parable as being taught every- 
where, both in nature and among nations. 
This is the new teaching which Jesus here 
began and continued to press upon the people 
to the very last day of his public utterances. ’ ’ 
As the class sat talking of sins which have 
no forgiveness, ‘ ‘ neither in this world, neither 
in the world to come,” there was one present 
who was deeply anxious to know what that sin 
could be, called the sin against the Holy 
Spirit. George Bancroft, whose notions of 
things had found such a sudden revolution at 
the bedside of the dying skeptic, was now 
willing to listen as he had not been for the past 
month. Sin had new meaning to George. 
The words of Jesus about eternal sin arrested 
his attention and startled his deepest thought. 

At last he earnestly asked, “Mrs. Brown, 
what is this sin against the Holy Spirit, that 
can never be forgiven ? How does one com- 
mit such an awful sin ? ” 

Then Mrs. Brown opened a book that lay 
on the table before her. She had been 
peculiarly impressed, while preparing this 
192 


New Teaching 


lesson, that George had reached a dangerous 
crisis. She had marked a paragraph in a ser- 
mon of one of the great living preachers 
describing this sin. She felt that this was the 
moment when George might see himself in the 
description. So she replied to his question : 

‘ ‘ George, there are various opinions among 
men as to this unforgiven sin. It is so sacred 
and sorrowful a theme that I do not dare give 
you an answer in my own language. Let me 
read to you the explanation of an aged min- 
ister who has given the subject much study. 
These are his words : ‘ What is the unpardon- 

able sin ? The process by which this sin is 
committed is very simple : it is to continue to 
say No, no, no, to the offers of mercy, until 
you are a sinner let alone, or given up by the 
Holy Spirit. When thus left, conscience no 
longer exercises its functions, and the Holy 
Spirit no longer applies the truth. When this 
state is reached, the soul is usually calm and 
quiet. The individual can sleep well, and go 
on with his business, without much trouble 
about his soul’s salvation. He did not, does 
not, will not, know that he is doomed. It is 
not because the person is a greater sinner 
than others, but because he rejects the only 
remedy for sin, and continues this rejection 
until he is a sinner let alone. ’ 
n 193 


Half-hours with the Christ 


“George,” said Mrs. Brown, “I think it is 
like this : If one stands and looks long at the 
sun defiantly, the piercing rays will at length 
put out his eyes. But if he go at the work 
for which the sun shines upon him, he finds 
that same sun full of help and health, and he 
rejoices in its blessing. Just so the soul loses 
its power to receive the truth and grows blind 
by refusing to obey the Holy Spirit. If it is 
sad for us to see a blind man, it is sadder still 
to see one who has lost soul sight ! So our 
Saviour saw all nature full of spiritual lessons ; 
and therefore he let nature speak through 
parables on this subject. 

“Then Jesus sent out his twelve disciples, 
two and two, to preach the kingdom. They 
went seeing clearly sin’s awful doom. Does 
he not teach us that we ought to go forth into 
life with careful understanding of sin’s dan- 
ger?” 

Just here Bridget came with refreshments, 
and a few minutes’ rest was given. But 
George was thoroughly aroused from his slum- 
bers. His pride had been completely humil- 
iated the past week. Against the sin of trifling 
he had been warned by the whispers of the 
dying man. The danger of dallying and de- 
laying, with the fierce light of eternal truth 
shining into his soul, he now saw for the first 
194 


New Teaching 


time. He asked Mrs. Brown to step into the 
reception room a moment. Alone they talked 
in perfect freedom. 

Said George : “Mrs. Brown, I do not dare 
trifle any longer. I must end this strife. I 
have stood looking toward the piercing sun, 
refusing to yield my pride, until I am growing 
blind. I am ready to yield and take the right 
path, if some one will lead me to it, but I am 
blind ; can you help me ? * ’ 

“Oh, George,” said Mrs. Brown, “have 
you forgotten those first words of Jesus in the 
mountain instruction, ‘Blessed are the poor 
in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven ’ ? 
You have just come to the place of blessing. 
If you hunger and thirst, you have only to 
ask, and he offers bread. You are now just 
ready to start with Jesus on his last year’s 
teaching. And that is the lesson that is to 
follow this evening. You are ready to see the 
beauty of the ‘ crimson thread ’ that marks 
the last year. Let us hasten to learn of Jesus. ’ ’ 
They went back to another half-hour around 
the table. 


i95 


CHAPTER XXI 


THE THIRD PASSOVER 

“ IN the last lesson we saw Jesus,” said Mrs. 

Brown, 1 ‘ sending out the Twelve alone 
for the first time. It was drawing near the 
end of the second year of his teaching. 
While the Twelve were making this tour of 
Galilee, it would seem that Jesus received the 
news of the cruel murder of John the Baptist. 
After some days the apostles returned, and 
Jesus proposed that they all cross the sea of 
Galilee to the east side and rest awhile. The 
people saw them crossing, and so went on foot 
around the lake, to find Jesus on the other 
side. 

4 ‘Then Jesus was moved at the eagerness of 
this multitude who had run some six or eight 
miles about the lake to hear and be healed. 
Hence the rest day was given to teaching them 
of the kingdom of God and healing them that 
had need of healing. Toward evening the 
people were fainting with hunger and without 
food. The disciples begged that Jesus would 
send them away to the surrounding villages to 
buy for themselves. He answered, ‘ Give ye 
196 


The Third Passover 


them to eat.’ But they replied that there 
were only five loaves and two fishes among 
them. 

“But Jesus had this food brought, com- 
manded the multitude to be seated in groups 
of fifties, and fed the entire company from 
that one basket. When they were all abun- 
dantly satisfied, the disciples filled twelve 
baskets with the fragments. This greatly ex- 
cited the people, and they were about to seize 
Jesus and compel him to be their king. So as 
it was now evening he constrained his disciples 
to take ship back to Capernaum while he sent 
the people away ; and he retired alone to the 
mountain to pray. 

“What happened that night?” asked Mrs. 
Brown. 

“Was that the night of the storm,” said 
one, “when Jesus came to his disciples, walk- 
ing upon the sea ? ” 

“Yes; and when Peter asked Jesus if he 
might come to him in the same way. But 
alas, his faith failed and he began to sink. 
Then Jesus caught him and said, ‘Wherefore 
didst thou doubt ? ’ an important lesson for us 
all.” 

When they had carefully studied this lesson, 
they looked at the new teaching that was given 
the next day at Capernaum, when the crowds 
197 


HaIf=hours with the Christ 

that had been fed the day previous were 
offended by Jesus’ telling them that he was 
the bread of life and would give them his flesh 
to eat. 

“Here,” said Mrs. Brown, “Jesus spoke 
of his death and resurrection being the great 
foundation of a true disciple’s faith. Many of 
his followers went back from that day. A 
kingdom built upon giving up all, even life it- 
self, they could not receive. 

“Notice that the Passover was at hand. 
This is known as Jesus’ third Passover; but 
he did not go to Jerusalem. A year ago, at 
his second Passover, you remember that he 
clearly announced that he was the Son of God, 
and that all men should honor him even as 
they honor the Father. Then the Jews 
planned to slay him, and they had followed 
him with spies and threats and plots during 
the whole year. But his time had not yet 
come ; hence he did not go up to this third 
Passover. We here see that at this very time 
Jesus taught clearly his death and resurrection. 
And from that time forth Jesus began to show 
unto his disciples how he must go unto Jeru- 
salem and be killed, and be raised the third 
day. 

‘ ‘ This is a good time to review these great 
eras of Christ’s teaching. At the first Pass- 
198 


The Third Passover 


over, two years before, when Jesus began his 
public teaching, he had cleansed the temple 
and taught Nicodemus the necessity of being 
born again. During that year Jesus revealed 
what?” 

They at once recalled that first element of 
Christ’s character, “A perfect human life as 
our model. ’ ’ 

“ Yes, and what thread was most prominent 
in that first year’ s teaching ? ’ ’ 

“The white thread of a pure human life,” 
said Barton Brown, who was always first in re- 
calling any past teaching, but who was always 
silent when any spiritual application was sought. 

“At the second Passover, at Bethesda, 
what truth did Jesus clearly reveal,” said Mrs. 
Brown, “and what helps us to recall it? ” 

‘ ‘ He proclaimed that he was the Son of 
God, equal with the Father,” said Avery, 

‘ 4 and we call it the ‘ blue thread, ’ because he 
came from above.” 

“And now at the time of the third Pass- 
over,” continued the leader, “though Jesus 
went not to Jerusalem, what did he begin to 
show his disciples more clearly?” Mrs. 
Brown now looked at George Bancroft, for she 
felt that it was the very crisis of his soul and 
this was the truth he must grasp. 

He answered, “This is the beginning of 
199 


Half=hours with the Christ 


the ‘crimson thread year,’ when he spoke 
more clearly of the offering of himself as a 
sacrifice for sin.” 

‘ ‘ And what a year, ’ ’ said the teacher, ‘ ‘ this 
must have been, when Jesus was ever facing 
Calvary and seeking to reconcile his disciples 
to its humiliation and sorrow ! At first many 
who thought they were true disciples went 
back and walked no more with him, when he 
told them of his atoning sacrifice. He then 
turned to the Twelve and asked them, ‘Will 
ye also go away ? ’ Peter answered, ‘ Lord, 
to whom shall we go ? Thou hast the words 
of eternal life.’ That has always been the 
sifting question, whether we can receive Jesus 
in his atoning sacrifice as God’s gift of love 
for our redemption. If we falter here we can- 
not enter his kingdom of rest and peace. ’ ’ 

This teacher believed thoroughly, as we 
have before seen, that the eye helps the ear to 
impress truth, and also that frequent reviews 
of the great underlying principles is the only 
way by which youth can retain facts. Hence 
the blackboard was often brought into use. 
Again the three-fold mission of the Christ was 
put in diagram ; and the three shuttles bearing 
the white, blue, and red threads, were seen 
flying back and forth through the three years 
of public teaching. The life of Jesus now 
200 


The Third Passover 


stood out so clearly that every miracle, every 
parable, every conversation in the Gospels, 
found a meaning, and reflected a light upon 
great underlying principles as never before. 
Each week brought the class together with 
new interest. As they saw Jesus enter the 
last year of his life, and observed that he was 
forsaken by many of the old friends, and that 
even Galilee’s curious and exulting crowd be- 
gan to drop away, or to carp and criticise, 
this class felt an intense sympathy and a wish 
to keep close to the Saviour in every step. 

“ Jesus now retired from Galilee to the out- 
lying regions, both north and east,” said Mrs. 
Brown. “Back and forth, from Tyre and 
Sidon upon the Mediterranean to Decapolis 
east of the sea of Galilee, he journeyed among 
new people who had not before received his 
visits, but much of his teaching was now di- 
rected to his own disciples. Once when they 
had been protesting against his dying, Jesus 
was obliged to rebuke Peter, saying : ‘ Get 
thee behind me, Satan ; thou art an offence 
unto me ; for thou savourest not the things 
that be of God, but those that be of men. * 

‘ ‘ Shortly after this there was given to some 
of the disciples the most remarkable privilege 
ever given to men. One evening Jesus took 
Peter, James, and John up into a high moun- 
201 


Half=hours with the Christ 


tain to pray. As he prayed, his countenance 
changed, and his raiment shone with a 
heavenly light, and these disciples saw two 
men from heaven, Moses and Elijah, talking 
with him. 

“And now,” said the leader, “notice the 
theme of conversation between these heavenly 
visitors and Jesus. It is the same topic that 
busied the Master’s thoughts these last days. 
It is the thing which Peter said must not be, 
the death of Jesus, the ‘decease which he 
should accomplish at Jerusalem.’ The word 
translated decease, literally mean ‘ exodus, ’ 
the passing over. Then when the heavenly 
visitors had departed, there came a cloud over 
the disciples, and they heard a voice saying, 
‘ This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well 
pleased ; hear ye him. ’ This event, like a 
curtain lifted from the heavenly world, was to 
prepare these disciples for the journey to the 
cross. ’ ’ 

Then Mrs. Brown recalled the conversation 
with George Bancroft, before the lesson. She 
felt that the theme of the evening was the one 
which exactly matched his state of mind, but 
George himself realized it as could no one else. 
He felt that like Peter he had been resisting 
all instruction to receive the crucified Christ. 
He too, had been sorely reproved and robbed 
202 


The Third Passover 


of all his theories. Now he was waiting for 
some new revelation. The lesson left him 
gazing toward this mountain where the disci- 
ples went with Jesus to pray and found new 
light and heard the heavenly voice. 

Mrs. Brown was impressed that it was a 
fitting place to close. ‘ ‘ May these mountains 
of heavenly visitation become as real to us,” 
said she, “as to these disciples. May we all 
have them wrought into our deepest ex- 
perience. ’ ’ 

Then they separated. George remained 
alone in the study. As he sat with bowed 
head, he recalled the earnest whispers of the 
dying skeptic. He thought of that last broken 
sentence, ‘ ‘ Don’ t trifle. ’ * Vividly he again 
saw the exhausted man drop back and gasp 
for breath. He then recalled the evening’s 
lessons concerning great sin forgiven, and 
Christ coming toward the cross, with the vivid 
description of the sin against the Holy Spirit, 
never forgiven ! He lifted his head almost in 
fear to tarry alone, and there just opposite 
him hung that picture of faith clinging to the 
cross, with the surging waves dashing over a 
wrecked vessel. Then the last scene of the 
evening came to him, of the mountain of 
prayer, and the voice saying, “This is my be- 
loved Son, in whom I am well pleased ; hear 
203 


HaIf=hours with the Christ 


ye him ! ’ * Then George Bancroft bowed his 
head again upon the table. 

We may not enter the sacred enclosure of 
his heart, nor can human words describe that 
moment when the risen Christ appeared. He 
said afterward to Mrs. Brown that as he sat 
there helpless, suddenly a great gratitude came 
into his mind that all his false hopes and vain 
delusions had been swept away, that his essay 
of smooth lies had been torn to pieces. Then 
the first words of the mountain sermon came 
to his mind, “Blessed are the poor in spirit ; 
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ” “ Then, ’ ’ 
said he, “I saw all this life of Jesus that we 
have studied, with all his truth and love and 
character, waiting to enrich me. I dropped 
upon my knees feeling that every barrier was 
gone, and I trusted his promise of blessing.” 
George was now ready to join the little com- 
pany whose motto was, “Mounting Heaven- 
ward. ’ ’ 


204 


CHAPTER XXII 
THE OVERFLOWING CUP 



‘HE week following the last lesson brought 


I both sorrow and joy. George Bancroft 
rose early, the morning after his conversion, 
and sought an interview with his father. 
When the two met in the library, he said : 

‘ 4 Father, can I sit with Mr. Blanchard, 
in your place, this morning ? ’ ’ 

* ‘Your call, the other day, excited him, 
his nurse says ; I do not know what to say 
about it, my son. ’ ’ 

“But it is different now,” replied George ; 
“he was worried because he thought he had 
led me astray. And I was excited myself, be- 
cause I saw so clearly that my false hopes 
could not face death. Last night’s lesson 
showed me the danger of trifling with sin and 
the Saviour. I saw that I was like one standing 
and looking defiantly at the sun, and that I 
must grow blind soon unless I turned to walk 
in the light. ’ ’ Then he told his father his ex- 
perience afterward alone in the library. 

Mr. Bancroft was overjoyed. He under- 
stood it all, for he had so recently passed 


205 


half=hours with the Christ 


through that same conflict. “Oh, yes, 
George,” said his father, “this will be de- 
lightful news to Mr. Blanchard. He is con- 
stantly worrying lest he has led you to a life of 
doubt. Tell him I hope to see him during the 
day. ’ ’ 

The nurse was very reluctant to admit 
George, until he said that he came for his 
father. Mr. Bancroft had been accustomed 
to give the sick man, after each lesson, some 
fresh glimpse he had received of the Saviour. 

Mr. Blanchard was waiting anxiously this 
morning. He said to George, “Your father 
and Avery come to tell me of their weekly 
visits with the Christ. I hunger for the help 
they bring. What of last night ? ’ ’ 

Then George calmly told him of the scene 
of the transfiguration, where two heavenly 
visitors came and talked with Jesus about his 
“decease at Jerusalem.” “ Our teacher told 
us, ’ ’ said George, ‘ ‘ that decease here really 
meant, ‘exodus’ ; they were talking of the 
‘passing over,’ which Jesus should accomplish 
at Jerusalem. It made death seem, to a friend 
of Jesus, just like passing over a river into 
another country. Everything, Mr. Blanchard, 
is different with me now. I can’t explain it, 
but last night I felt that all my old arguments 
and selfish hopes were swept away, as when the 
206 


The Overflowing Cup 


waves sweep over a ship. I thought of your 
words to me, that these old theories had proved 
false and could not face death. Then I saw 
Jesus on the mountain, as in one of our lessons, 
saying, ‘ Blessed are the poor in spirit. ’ I 
knew I was now poor, so I grasped his word, 
‘blessed,’ just as you hold my hand. I 
thought I must come and tell you about it.” 

The sick man’s anxious face lighted up with 
a new radiance. He knew George was saved, 
it shone in his face ; and he saw in this simple 
statement the way of life as no other had de- 
scribed it. This picture of a poor, ship- 
wrecked soul laying hold of that one word, 
“blessed,” as it fell from the lips of Jesus, 
was a precious gleam of hope. 

Then George read to him the Beatitudes. 
When he came to the promise, ‘ ‘ Blessed are 
they which do hunger and thirst after right- 
eousness ; for they shall be filled, ’ ’ the dying 
man whispered, “ Read that again.” George 
repeated the promise. 

“ I do hunger, I do thirst ; that’ s all I have. 
Oh, he pities me, and says, ‘ blessed ’ ! ” 
And the poor man seemed to take that one 
word, “blessed,” as a cup of cold water to 
his thirsty soul. ‘ ‘ I thought I had led you to 

ruin, and here you are leading me to Jesus. 
The burden is gone ! I was sinking in a dark 
207 


Half=hours with the Christ 


sea ; he has drawn me up to himself on that 
mountain of light ! Read to me, George, 
about Jesus on that other mountain. ” 

Then George read about the mount of trans- 
figuration. The anxious, haggard look was 
gone from Mr. Blanchard’s face ; and the pale 
countenance now lighting up with the new 
peace, shone with almost heavenly luster. 
His eyes seemed gazing upward upon the 
mountain scene, and his lips whispered, 
“Blessed, blessed! Talking of the exodus! 
— passing over — passing over ! ” His mind 
had caught clearly the new meaning of death 
which George had brought him from the last 
lesson. His whispers were growing weaker. 
George summoned Mrs. Blanchard. She was 
just in time to hear him whisper, “Good- 
bye. ’ ’ Then again after a pause, she saw his 
lips move. She listened closely, and she 
heard the faintest utterance as if from a voice 
in the distance, “Passing over! Blessed — 
blessed. ’ ’ 

The pulse had stopped. She closed his 
eyes, for the end had come. In three days 
Pastor Little stood by the coffin and told the 
gathered company that through the past month 
the man had repeatedly said that death had 
disarmed him of all his doubts, and that 
Christian friends had been permitted to show 
208 


The Overflowing Cup 

him the merciful Christ who appeared to him 
in great glory in the last lingering hours. 

The community was greatly stirred by the 
fact of this remarkable conversion. The peo- 
ple all began to inquire for the quiet cause. 

When next the little company met for study 
in Lyman Bancroft’s library, the theme an- 
nounced by Mrs. Brown was, “Jesus the 
Overflowing Cup at the Feast of Tabernacles. ’ ’ 
She told them that some six months had 
passed since the Saviour’s third Passover, 
when he did not go up to Jerusalem. He 
with the Twelve had since made two great tours 
of northern Galilee and the surrounding dis- 
tricts. The time of the feast of Tabernacles 
came. Some of Jesus’s own kindred urged 
him away from Capernaum, because they did 
not believe in him. It is quite probable that 
these men desired to deliver Jesus over to the 
enemies at Jerusalem ; hence he did not go 
with them. But after they had gone, he went 
up secretly about the middle of the feast. 

“ It had been a year and a half,” continued 
Mrs. Brown, “since the Saviour was at Jeru- 
salem, because of the exciting plots of his 
enemies. Many were anxious to see him 
again. They were surprised by his suddenly 
appearing in the temple and addressing the 
crowded courts. Then the Jews appointed 
o 209 


Half=hours with the Christ 


officers to take him for punishment. They 
went while he was teaching, but after hearing 
his words of life and light they had no heart 
to arrest him. They returned and were asked, 

‘ Why have ye not brought him ? ’ They could 
only answer, ‘Never man spake like this 
man ! ’ He had said ‘ Yet a little while am I 
with you, and then I go unto him that sent 
me. ’ This is the year when he is everywhere 
weaving in the crimson thread. 

“We have it revealed why Jesus was careful 
to be at the close of this feast of Tabernacles 
in his last year, when he showed that it was 
fulfilled in himself,” said the leader as she 
asked them to turn to Christ’s special message 
(John 7 : 37-40) on the last day of the feast. 

“ It was a custom for the priest,” said Mrs. 
Brown, “each morning to bring water from 
the fountain of Siloam, in a golden cup, as a 
drink-offering. As he passed through the 
courts and handed the cup to another priest 
at the altar, repeating the words of the prophet, 
‘ With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells 
of salvation, ’ the people took up the shout with 
joyous exultation. 

“Just then Jesus stood up and cried with a 
loud voice to attract the attention of all the 
people : ‘ If any man thirst, let him come 
unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, 
210 


The Overflowing Cup 


out of him shall flow rivers of living water. ’ 
‘This,’ says John, ‘spake he of the Spirit 
which they that believe on him should re- 
ceive.' Beautiful lesson ! Every disciple of 
Jesus is to be an overflowing cup of this living 
water to others. As the water was poured 
from the golden cup into the silver basin at the 
altar, and then flowed on, amid the rejoicings 
of the people, what a vivid picture is given us 
of Christ at the altar of his sacrifice, pouring 
from the golden goblet of his purity into our 
hearts that grace which flows on to bless 
others ! ’ ’ 

Mrs. Brown had received marked illustra- 
tion of this in her own class. These converts 
had carried the water of life to the thirsty soul 
of the dying skeptic. His conversion had 
stirred the whole town. Men were not more 
surprised when Jesus raised the dead, than was 
this community to learn that Mr. Blanchard 
had become a Christian. 

“On the evenings of the feast of Taber- 
nacles,” said the leader, “the great golden 
lamps in the courts of the temple were bril- 
liantly lighted. This gave Jesus opportunity 
to say, ‘ I am the light of the world ; he that 
folio we th me shall not walk in darkness, but 
shall have the light of life.’ They murmured 
and criticised. Then said Jesus, ‘When ye 
2 1 1 


Half=hours with the Christ 


have lifted up the Son of man then shall ye 
know that I am he.’ His eye is now ever 
upon the cross. Though his time had not yet 
come, it was nearing. 

“Then the Jews took up stones to cast at 
him, because he said, ‘ I am the light of the 
world.’ As he passed out of the temple he 
saw a blind man. His disciples asked him 
why this man was born blind. He answered, 

‘ That the works of God should be made mani- 
fest in him.’ Then Jesus anointed his eyes 
with clay and sent him to wash at the pool of 
Siloam ; and the man received his sight. 

“Notice,” continued the leader, “how this 
light of the world shines to give light to others. 
He is eyes to the blind. We can see why he 
anointed his eyes with the clay, and sent him to 
wash in the fountain of Siloam. It was at this 
feast where the golden cup borne from this 
fountain, and poured out at the altar, repre- 
sented the cleansing and healing of the Holy 
Spirit sent in Jesus’s name. Blessed fountain 
of healing that can restore blind eyes ! 

“ Then the wicked Jews cast the healed man 
out, because he said Jesus had given him sight. 
The Saviour found him again and revealed 
himself as the Messiah who enlightens the soul ; 
and the man entered the kingdom. 

“So this man cast out by the Jews, but re- 
212 


The Overflowing Cup 

ceived within the true sanctuary by Christ, led 
the Saviour to speak of himself as not only the 
Good Shepherd that giveth his life for the 
sheep, but also as the door by which they 
enter in. With what a tender voice he called 
to the people, ‘ Other sheep I have which are 
not of this fold ; them also I must bring, and 
they shall hear my voice. * 

‘ 1 These were his great lessons at the feast 
of Tabernacles, from the golden cup from the 
fountain of Siloam poured out at the altar, 
signifying the overflowing Spirit ; from the 
brilliant lights of the temple and the blind 
man healed, illustrating Christ as the light of 
the world ; and from the man cast out and 
welcomed to the kingdom of heaven, betoken- 
ing the Good Shepherd as he lays down his 
life, opening the door to the inner fold. 

“Blessed feast of Tabernacles ! What les- 
sons did the Master gather from that golden 
cup from Siloam, from golden candlesticks 
ablaze in the temple courts, and from the 
blind man healed and saved ! Alas ! Those 
who rejected such teaching grew blind enough 
to crucify him ! They dashed the golden cup 
away ! They gazed defiantly at the Sun of 
Righteousness till they grew blind ! They 
shut the door that was opening at cost of his 
blood !” 


213 


Half=hours with the Christ 

As Mrs. Brown closed this picture she was 
near to tears, and so quietly said, “ Good- 
night. ’ ’ When she and her children reached 
home they sat a few minutes in silence. Then 
Fannie went to her room. Barton after a few 
minutes came to kiss his mother good-night ; 
but as he touched her lips he burst into tears. 
He had been quietly thinking much, under 
these lessons for the past few weeks, but was 
struggling to resist. The picture of these men 
resisting Christ under such light, and then 
growing blind enough to crucify him, awakened 
Barton to a sense of fear. Then his mother’s 
emotion had melted him. This wise mother 
understood his temperament. 

She only said, ‘ ‘ My son, shall we bow and 
tell the Saviour all ? ’ * He sobbed and nodded 
his head. Her prayer only told Jesus to hear 
her son as he now yielded and asked to be re- 
ceived within the fold. Then Barton said, 
“Jesus, forgive me — I give up everything, to 
follow thee.” 

Then his mother finished his prayer, with 
an overflowing cup of thanksgiving. 


214 


CHAPTER XXIII 

TOWARD JERUSALEM 



N the following Sunday afternoon the 


young friends met at Mrs. Brown’s 
home. The five had now all been led to 
trust the Saviour. They stood in a circle and 
joined hands, George and Barton thus uniting 
in the new Christian League, whose motto was 
“ Mounting Heavenward. ’ ’ They agreed now 
to hold occasional meetings, to advise concern- 
ing personal work ; their meetings should open 
with their joining in a circle and repeating in 
concert the three stanzas beginning, “Heaven 
is not reached at a single bound,” and then 
they should sing together, “Whiter than 
snow.” They were then to have an informal 
consultation concerning ways of helping and 
encouraging others. 

Every barrier was now removed. Their 
conversion had banished all petty jealousies 
and selfish pride. Even Barton Brown’s re- 
serve and quick temper had been vanquished, 
and he was ready to enter heartily into fel- 
lowship and service. 

“Avery,” said Mrs. Brown, “have you and 


215 


Half=hours with the Christ 


your mother decided your plans as to the 
home ? ’ ’ 

Since Mr. Blanchard had left little means 
but their cottage, and Avery was the only 
child, it had been a difficult question to de- 
cide. Doctor Sinnett had proposed to Mrs. 
Blanchard, since she was such an efficient 
nurse, that she rent her cottage, and make 
her home in his own family, when not engaged 
in that service. He said to her that Avery 
had made himself almost a necessity to him, 
and that he proposed to give him every ad- 
vantage while remaining in his office. 

“Yes, ma’am,” said Avery; “ mother has 
rented the house and accepted the doctor’s 
kind offer. She intends to spend a few weeks 
in Cincinnati soon, studying with the trained 
nurses in the hospital. So I am to remain 
with the doctor.” 

* 1 Oh, how happily your faithful life has pro- 
vided a home for your mother ! ’ ’ replied Mrs. 
Brown. “You little knew what a blessing 
your hard work and faithful service last winter 
would bring. ’ ’ 

Two of Avery’s old associates had come to 
trouble. Robert Jones and Timothy Hughes, 
familiarly known as Bob and Tim, had been 
arrested, and were now in jail. They had 
entered a house one night, in the absence of 
216 


Toward Jerusalem 


the family, and for this depredation were 
bound over to court and were now awaiting 
trial. They were bright boys from well-known 
families, who had fallen into this wild, reckless 
life. Their condition deeply impressed Avery, 
especially when he thought how he himself 
had been rescued from their association. 
Avery and George, by Mrs. Brown’s advice, 
decided to go and see these boys in jail that 
afternoon. They each took a Testament with 
some marked passages. 

They found the boys quite humiliated, and 
greatly surprised to have George and Avery 
make them a friendly call. Robert Jones was 
quite penitent, and told Avery his shame and 
sorrow. Avery urged him to be frank and 
truthful about the whole affair, and then he 
would find friends. They gave them the Tes- 
taments before leaving. Bob promised to read 
his, but Tim Hughes received his sullenly. As 
the boys passed out they heard Tim dash his 
Testament against the wall across the room. 
The condition of the boys in jail became a 
matter of much thought among these friends 
the following week. 

When the lesson came they were all again 
in the Bancroft library. The leader recalled 
the last lesson, on Jesus at the feast of Taber- 
nacles, and then told them that it seemed that 
217 


fialf=hours with the Christ 


the Saviour must have gone immediately back 
to Capernaum, for a last farewell to his home 
in Galilee. 

“ We have it stated shortly afterward,” said 
Mrs. Brown, ‘ ‘ that his face was steadfastly 
set to go to Jerusalem. Not only the Twelve, 
but many other disciples, prepared to go with 
him. So Jesus sent seventy, two and two, to 
go before him and visit the cities and villages 
where he was about to come. ’ ’ 

All the circumstances of this sad farewell 
were gathered up from the Gospels. It was 
plain that many professed disciples had for- 
saken Jesus this last year, since he had told 
them plainly that he was to be crucified at 
Jerusalem and would ascend to heaven again. 
They wanted a king who would claim Herod’s 
throne and break the Roman yoke. Caper- 
naum, where most of his mighty works had 
been done, had now treated lightly his teach- 
ing ; and Jesus was compelled to depart pro- 
nouncing upon that city the woe of his rejec- 
tion. Herod, who had put to death John the 
Baptist, was now plotting to destroy Jesus if 
he remained in his dominion. 

They saw also how some disciples, who still 
professed great attachment, now came with 
numerous excuses for not setting out with him. 
One wanted to go and bid his friends at home 
218 


Toward Jerusalem 


good-bye ; another wanted to remain in Gali- 
lee until after the burial of his father. But 
Jesus said to them all, “ No man having put 
his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit 
for the kingdom of God. ’ ’ 

“Yet there was a company of faithful 
friends,” said Mrs. Brown, “ who coura- 
geously set out on this journey with Jesus. 
When they came down to the border of Sa- 
maria he sent messengers to a neighboring 
village to find entertainment. But these Sa- 
maritans would not receive Jesus, because his 
face was toward Jerusalem. This aroused the 
anger of his disciples, and they suggested that 
they should call down fire from heaven and 
consume that whole town. Jesus answered, 
‘ Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. 
For the Son of man is not come to destroy 
men’s lives, but to save them.’ The disciples 
had forgotten the Sermon on the Mount, 
‘Love your enemies; do good to them that 
despitefully use you ’ ; but they peacefully went 
to another village. They then probably turned 
to the east of the Jordan, and went down 
through Perea, Jesus preaching the kingdom 
as he went. 

“Just before Jesus and the Twelve reached 
Jerusalem, the seventy returned with joy, tell- 
ing the Master that the devils were cast out 
219 


HaIf=hours with the Christ 


through their power. ‘ Yes, ’ said the Saviour, 

1 1 saw Satan’ s kingdom fall, under your faith 
and service. But rejoice rather that your 
names are written in heaven.’ It was then 
that Jesus uttered that precious and tender 
promise that goes on still blessing the weary 
millions : ‘ Come unto me all ye that labour 
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ’ 

“But enemies were also following and 
seeking to entrap him in his w r ords. On the 
way toward Jerusalem a certain lawyer asked, 

‘ Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal 
life?’ Jesus told him to love the Lord with 
all his heart and his neighbor as himself. But 
the lawyer, seeking to puzzle Jesus, replied, 
‘ Who is my neighbor ? ’ Then the Master 
uttered the parable of the Good Samaritan. 
They were probably then on that very road 
from Jericho to Jerusalem where the mountain 
gorges were infested with robbers, and where 
what Jesus described often occurred.” 

Then one of the company read that parable. 
Avery that very afternoon had made another 
visit to the jail to see Bob and Tim. It was 
nearing the time of court when the trial would 
send them to the penitentiary. Avery recalled 
the distress of Bob Jones as he felt his dis- 
grace and especially mourned over the sadness 
brought to his parents. 

220 


Toward Jerusalem 


‘ 1 What changed your life, Avery ? ’ ’ Bob 
had asked. “You used to go with us and 
then suddenly you left us. Was it because 
you got that place at the doctor’ s ? ” 

“No,” said Avery; “that came to me after 
I said I was done with that sort of a life. Bob, 
do you want me to tell you just what changed 
me ? It is strange ; I don’ t fully understand 
it myself. I accidentally met George Bancroft 
one night, and he invited me to go with him to 
Mrs. Brown’s class; but it wasn’t an accident. 
You have heard about that class in Banker 
Bancroft’s library. Somehow I was already 
getting a little ashamed of our wild life. That 
night their lesson was about the temptation of 
Jesus, and his first disciples, or choosing com- 
panions. Well, I saw at once what a fool I 
was, to throw away my life as we were doing 
and fight against Jesus Christ, the best friend 
in the world. And when I was asked to join 
that class, Bob, it seemed just as if something 
was drawing me to a new life. It is that 
study and seeing Jesus, that has done every- 
thing for me. Oh, I wish you could get there 
with us ! ” 

“Yes, but it’s too late,” said Bob, as he 
burst into tears. 

This had occurred just before Avery came 
to the lesson. When they came to the seventy 
221 


Half-hours with the Christ 


sent out, two and two, to prepare for Jesus’ 
coming, he thought of George and himself 
going to the jail, and wondered if they had 
not been sent to prepare for Jesus’ coming 
there. When they read the parable of the 
Good Samaritan, his thoughts were busy and 
anxious for the boys in the jail. 

“As Jesus was nearing Jerusalem,” said 
Mrs. Brown, “ they came to the village of 
Bethany, only two miles out of the city. 
Jesus was invited to stop in the home of three 
friends. ’ ’ 

Just here the doorbell rang; and Bridget 
ushered Pastor Little into the library. 1 1 1 
planned to call, Mrs. Brown,” said he, “just 
at the close of your lesson ; pardon me if I 
have interrupted. I desired to consult with 
you about moving the class to the church. 
There is a widespread seriousness in the com- 
munity, and many are coming to my study to 
inquire upon the subject of religion. I am 
conscious that it is the direct influence of this 
class. I desire to hold an inquirers’ meeting 
on Tuesday evenings. When you have fin- 
ished this lesson we can consult. ’ ’ 

“Well, we have just come with Jesus to the 
first of his visits to Bethany,” said the leader; 
“ I think we will stop here and give the next 
lesson to Bethany as special topic. For of all 
222 


Toward Jerusalem 


the towns or cities mentioned in the Bible, 
none is so attractive to me as beautiful Beth- 
any, ‘the house of song.’ Now we will con- 
sider the pastor’s message.” 

When Mr. Little had again presented his 
wish that the lessons be given in the lecture 
room of the church by Mrs. Brown, to be fol- 
lowed by a special meeting for inquirers, she 
said that she preferred to finish this course 
with the class in the library, as they were so 
near the end. 

“But, pastor,” said she, “if you are im- 
pressed that lessons on the life of Christ ought 
to be given in the church let us begin a new 
course, commencing with his youth.” 

So it was arranged to open another class for 
special inquirers on the next Tuesday evening, 
to be followed by Pastor Little’s personal con- 
versation meeting. 

When the class had adjourned, Avery and 
George sought an interview with Mr. Bancroft. 
They told him of their visits to the jail, and 
Bob Jones’ penitence, and how they had won- 
dered if anything could be done by which he 
could get to this lesson. 

“He could be bailed out,” said Mr. Ban- 
croft ; “but his father has not sufficient means 
to do that. He came to see me to-day and is 
almost broken-hearted over the sad affair. I 
223 


HaIf=hours with the Christ 


will call with you to-morrow and talk with these 
boys. ’ ’ 

Thus the evening’s study of the words of 
Jesus concerning the Good Samaritan caring 
for the poor unfortunate man by the wayside, 
sent out currents of influence that carried 
blessing to wounded hearts that very week. 


224 


CHAPTER XXIV 


FRIENDS AT BETHANY 

W HEN Mr. Bancroft went to the jail, he 
told the boys that it was yet two weeks 
until their trial, and that it would be a great 
comfort to their parents to have them at 
home. There was but one way to accomplish 
this, he told them, and that was for some one 
to go their bail that they would appear at court 
at the proper time. 

“I have come,” said Mr. Bancroft, “be- 
cause your parents are my friends, and because 
I want to help you both to see your wrong and 
begin life over again. Unless you are tired of 
this wild, reckless life, you might just as well 
stay in jail and let the law take its severest 
course. ’ ’ 

Bob said that he deserved to remain in jail, 
and that he was ashamed to see his parents, as 
he had brought this disgrace upon them, but 
that he was done with such a wicked life and 
longed for forgiveness for the past. 

Tim would make little reply but sat in sullen 
indifference. He refused to make any ac- 
knowledgment. When asked if he would like 
p 225 


Half=hours with the Christ 


to be released from jail to be at home until 
the trial, he expressed no special concern. 
Mr. Bancroft felt that Tim would more likely 
be benefited in jail than out, but he at once 
signed the bond for Bob and walked with him 
to his home. 

“Robert,” said Mr. Bancroft, as they were 
drawing near the house, “I have done this to 
give you one more chance to become a man. 
Will you take my advice ? ” 

‘ ‘ I will do anything you say, Mr. Bancroft, ’ ’ 
said Bob, “and I mean to do right. But I 
need a friend to tell me what to do. ’ ’ 

‘ c Robert, be perfectly honest ; tell the 
whole truth, no matter what comes,” said 
Mr. Bancroft. ‘ ‘ Stay in the house with your 
mother to-day and this evening some of us will 
see you.” 

That night George and Avery spent the 
evening with Bob, and told him all about the 
change that had come into their lives. It was 
arranged that on Friday evening they would 
call for him to go to the library for study. 
The evening came and Bob came to the class. 
Mrs. Brown met him with that calm reserve 
that sorrow and sympathy combine to give in a 
true friend of the erring. 

‘ * In our last lesson, * ’ said the leader, ‘ ‘ we 
followed Jesus on that last journey from Gal- 
226 


Friends at Bethany 


ilee, until he stopped with friends at Bethany. 
It is the first time this town has been men- 
tioned ; but it has a large place in Christ’s life 
for the remaining few weeks. No doubt Mar- 
tha and Lazarus had become his disciples be- 
fore this, and probably had welcomed Jesus to 
their home on former visits. At least Martha, 
the elder, was taking much interest in pre- 
paring her table for the Saviour now. While 
Mary sat at his feet and listened to his gra- 
cious words, Martha came in to ask for her 
assistance. 

“Jesus said to her, 4 Martha, one thing is 
needful; and Mary hath chosen that good 
part, which shall not be taken away from her. ’ 
I suppose that in that very hour Mary had for 
the first time received Jesus as her own per- 
sonal Saviour ; and Christ was now announcing 
the joyful news of her conversion. She had 
possibly not been a dutiful sister, and may 
have given Martha much trouble. The proud 
heart of this younger sister had perhaps re- 
jected Jesus, and had grown careless. But 
now she bowed penitently at the Master’s feet 
and heard the story of his forgiving love. ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ Why, I always thought, ’ ’ said Fannie, 
“that it meant that Martha was troubled with 
many things in her kitchen and household 
cares; and that Jesus was telling her that it 
227 


Half-hours with the Christ 


was better to do as Mary was doing, sit at his 
feet.” 

‘ 1 It is usually explained so, ’ ’ said Mrs. 
Brown ; * * but it has now come to me very 
forcibly in the other sense. Jesus said to the 
elder sister, when she intimated that Mary was 
not so helpful as she should be, and wished 
that Jesus would speak to her upon the sub- 
ject, ‘ Martha, Martha, you have been full of 
care and troubled about many things in your 
sister’s life, but it is all over now; she has 
chosen the good part. She will never cause 
you any more trouble. ’ For, you remember, 
not long afterward they made a great supper 
for Jesus in Bethany, and it was this same 
Mary who broke the costly alabaster box and 
anointed both the head and the feet of Jesus, 
until the odor filled all the house. When the 
woman of Galilee had anointed Jesus’ feet in 
Simon the Pharisee’s house Jesus said of her, 

‘ She loveth much because she hath been for- 
given much. ’ So I think it was a proud and 
rebellious heart that Mary yielded as she sat at 
Jesus’ feet, and one that the Saviour intimates 
had given her anxious sister much trouble. 
But with what joy Jesus here announces that 
she was now saved. 

“Oh, beautiful Bethany! How precious 
are its lessons ! What friendship for Jesus is 
228 


Friends at Bethany 


there recorded ! How he loved at the setting 
sun to go from the strife and envy and malice 
of his enemies in Jerusalem, to find the wel- 
come and affection of these trusting hearts in 
Bethany ! Whatever they may have been be- 
fore, he forgot it all in their precious love and 
humble devotion.” 

The lesson soon followed Jesus from Jerusa- 
lem, where at the feast of Dedication the Jews 
stoned him for again saying, “I and my Father 
are one, ’ ’ into Perea, beyond the Jordan. They 
noticed how Jesus was met by surging crowds; 
for he was no doubt now going from town to 
town where the seventy had recently gone to 
herald his coming. They saw how busy were 
these last weeks, and how tender the Saviour’s 
words were becoming as he drew near the end. 

“In these Perea days,” said Mrs. Brown, 
“Jesus had again gone to Bethabara where he 
was first pointed out as Messiah, when the 
heavens opened, the dove descended, and the 
voice, ‘ This is my beloved Son in whom I am 
well pleased, ’ was heard. What precious mem- 
ories were awakened of John’s faithful words, 
and of the coming of those first disciples to his 
tent ! On a Sabbath he was invited to dine 
with a Pharisee. He saw how the guests chose 
the chief seats, and gave the lesson on hu- 
mility : 4 For whosoever exalteth himself shall 
229 


Half=hours with the Christ 


be abased ; and he that humbleth himself 
shall be exalted. ’ 

“It was in these days that he uttered the 
parable of the prodigal son ; teaching us how 
ready our Heavenly Father is to welcome the 
wandering sinner who is sick and tired and who 
resolves with the prodigal, ‘ I will arise and go 
unto my father, and say unto him, Father, I 
have sinned against heaven and in thy sight, 
and am no more worthy to be called thy son. * 
Let us now all turn to this parable and read it 
in concert.” 

When they were not more than half through 
the reading, Bob Jones put his head upon the 
table and sobbed aloud. This put new ten- 
derness in their voices, as they read on ; and 
it seemed to the lad, just from the jail and 
awaiting his trial, that it was Jesus passing that 
way and speaking to him these gracious words 
for the first time. 

1 ‘ One day a messenger came from Bethany, ’ ’ 
resumed Mrs. Brown, “telling Jesus that his 
loved friend, Lazarus, was sick. Jesus seems 
to have sent word back to the sisters that this 
sickness was not unto death, but that the Son of 
God might be glorified thereby. But before 
the messenger could arrive Lazarus was in his 
grave. Jesus, busy with the crowds of Perea, 
toiled on for two days. Then he said to his 
230 


Friends at Bethany 


disciples, Let us go into Judea again. But the 
disciples, remembering that Jesus had been 
stoned away from Jerusalem a few days before, 
pleaded with the Saviour not to return. The 
Passover was drawing near, but with all his 
teaching they were still poorly fitted for the 
trial. Then Jesus said plainly, ‘ Lazarus is 
dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I 
was not there, to the intent ye may believe.’ 

“As Jesus had raised the widow’s son at 
Nain, that he might encourage the faith of the 
messengers from John’s prison ; and as he had 
brought to life the daughter of Jairus at Caper- 
naum, just as the Twelve were starting on their 
first tour alone ; so now, as in fear they are 
coming close to the cross, Jesus sees a falter- 
ing faith and gives new proof of his divine 
glory. ’ ’ 

Then they followed the Saviour back to 
Bethany and saw him mingle his tears with 
those of the bereaved sisters and restore his 
friend from the grave. 

“Visitors were there from Jerusalem,’’ said 
the leader, “ who spread the news throughout 
the city. The Jewish council was at once 
called, and the high priest, Caiaphas, who was 
president of the council, said it was better that 
one man should die rather than the whole 
nation perish ; giving it as his opinion that 
2 3 1 


Half=hours with the Christ 


unless Jesus was destroyed he would cause 
such an insurrection of the people that the 
Roman government would put an end to them 
all. So it was now decided to put Jesus to 
death. 

“ But our Saviour, knowing all things, needed 
not that they come and announce their de- 
cision, and knowing that he was to be taken 
the very night of the offering of the paschal 
lamb, secretly withdrew with his disciples to the 
city of Ephraim, some ten miles north of Jer- 
icho, on the borders of the wilderness. Here 
our Lord tarried until he saw, from his moun- 
tain retirement overlooking the Jordan, the 
Galilean pilgrims 'streaming down the valley 
toward Jerusalem, to attend the approaching 
Passover. Then he joined the great company, 
and passed through Jericho on the way.” 

Then they took their Bibles again and read 
of the blind men sitting by the wayside, who on 
hearing the multitudes inquired what it meant 
and were told, “ Jesus of Nazareth passeth 
by,” and then cried, “Jesus, thou son of 
David, have mercy on us ! ” Then they read 
of Zaccheus climbing the tree to see Jesus, 
and how he was saved and Jesus went to his 
home. 

“And when some murmured because Jesus 
went to the despised publican’s house,” said 
232 


Friends at Bethany 


Mrs. Brown, “then Jesus repeated those gra- 
cious words that often fell from his lips, ‘ For 
the Son of man is come to seek and to save 
the lost.’ But we must close this lesson, only 
noticing that Jesus came to Bethany and spent 
the last Sabbath before his crucifixion with these 
loved friends who had waited anxiously for his 
return.” 

As Bob Jones walked home he kept repeat- 
ing, “I will arise and go unto my father, and 
say, Father, I have sinned against heaven and 
in thy sight. ’ ’ And that night his pillow was 
wet with tears of penitence and grief. He 
sobbed himself to sleep at last, and dreamed 
of the surging crowd, and when he asked what 
it meant he heard a voice saying, “Jesus of 
Nazareth is passing by.” 


2 33 


CHAPTER XXV 


TRIUMPHAL ENTRY 

P ASTOR LITTLE was not disappointed in 
his faith. The mid-week meetings for 
two months had been quickened by the voice 
of the new converts that came one by one to 
tell of their visits with Christ. Banker Ban- 
croft seemed to be journeying with the Saviour, 
so vividly did his short testimonies portray 
some new incident each week. Avery Blanch- 
ard had been so marvelously drawn from his 
wild associations, and had been so happily per- 
mitted to see his skeptical father rescued from 
doubt at the very threshold of death, that his 
sublime faith was the wonder of every week. 
Lately, George Bancroft, the proud, ambitious 
young man who had seemed to stand above all 
his associates, had come into that mid-week 
meeting and testified with a humble and child- 
like spirit of having seen Jesus the Christ. 
Even the younger ones, Amelia and Barton, 
calmly spoke of their personal knowledge of 
the Lord as if they had gone with Andrew 
and John to talk with Christ in his tent at 
the Jordan. 


234 


Triumphal Entry 


Hence the people were wondering how they 
might thus come into touch with the Man of 
Galilee. When the announcement was made 
that the lessons in the life of Jesus would be 
given in the church for all who were interested 
to know and follow the Christ, the room was 
thronged from the first. The eager faces of a 
hundred inquirers, as Mrs. Brown arose, was 
truly inspiring. She told them how she came 
to begin this work, to win the royal youth of 
Canton ; and how they were moved as they for 
the first time heard the story of Jesus of Naz- 
areth as he lived among men. Then she told 
of her longing to draw her own children to the 
same entranced interest in the Christ, instead 
of their being carried away with the mere friv- 
olities of life. 

“And now,” said Mrs. Brown, “the pastor 
has asked that we might here together make 
another journey with our Lord. We will 
begin with Jesus in the temple, when he ut- 
tered his first words that have been recorded : 

4 Wist ye not that I must be about my father’s 
business ? ’ ’’ 

Then she pictured Jesus, as Son of God, 
starting out upon his journey to show us how 
to live a right life, as well as to reveal the 
divine friendship for such as turn their faces 
toward God and eternity. She hastened on 
235 


Half=hours with the Christ 


to the scene of Jesus coming to John at the 
Jordan, and presenting himself for baptism, 
saying as his next recorded words, “Thus it 
becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. ’ * Then 
with skill she lifted the curtain to their own 
hearts, as they came to stand by the side of 
Jesus Christ with that same purpose to live a 
clean life and to journey with Jesus as he 
started out to bring the world to himself, 
showing that when we come to his side to 
walk with him, the voice from the open heav- 
ens saying, * ‘ This is my beloved Son in whom 
I am well pleased,” is our Heavenly Father 
speaking to us as surely as to Jesus ! 

The pastor stepped to the front and said, 
“How many can say, each looking into his own 
heart, T now desire to know and follow Jesus’?” 
With solemn and hearty decision shining in 
every face, the entire company rose to their 
feet. Then as the voice of prayer ascended 
for the Master to accept these as his followers 
who would now start on the journey with him, 
the Christ of Galilee seemed to have come into 
this very town. 

After such experiences the little company 
came to the Bancroft library again to take this 
lesson of Jesus coming to Jerusalem to his last 
Passover. 

“Jesus we left at Bethany last week,” said 
236 


Triumphal Entry 


Mrs. Brown, “as he came with the crowds, 
teaching as he journeyed. They were anx- 
iously awaiting his arrival and had prepared a 
supper in the home of Simon the leper, per- 
haps one whom Jesus had healed. Then it 
was that Mary took a pound of ointment, very 
precious, and anointed her Lord. When Ju- 
das complained of the waste, Jesus said, ‘ Let 
her alone ; she hath done what she could ; 
she hath anointed my body aforehand for the 
burying. ’ 

“Jesus and the disciples rested there over 
the Sabbath and early on the first day of the 
week they prepared to enter the city. Great 
crowds that had come up to the Passover were 
encamped about Mount Olivet, waiting and 
anxious to see Jesus again. Many whom he 
had healed of leprosy, or blindness, or other 
foul disease, and those who had heard their 
Lord say, ‘Thy sins are forgiven thee,’ were 
thrilled with delight to see Jesus coming. 
They took palm branches and went out to 
meet him, and cried, ‘ Hosanna ! Blessed is 
he that cometh in the name of the Lord, even 
the king of Israel. ’ 

‘ ‘ Then came two of the disciples bringing a 
colt, and Jesus sat thereon. Multitudes went 
before or followed after, some casting their gar- 
ments in the way, others strewing the branches 
237 


Half=hours with the Christ 

of trees before him, all moving on in triumphal 
procession toward the city. 

“Then we come to one of the most touch- 
ing scenes in the life of our Lord. As they 
passed from Bethany around the foot of Mount 
Olivet, they came at length in full view of the 
city which had been so sacred in its associa- 
tions ever since the days of King David. Its 
glory in the past, and its doom in the near 
future, moved Jesus to tears. Here is the de- 
scription of another in which I think you will 
all be interested. George, will you read Far- 
rar’ s words as he paints this picture ? ’ ’ 

She handed him the book and he read the 
following paragraph : “ ‘And who can interpret, 
who can enter into the mighty rush of divine 
compassion which, at that spectacle, shook the 
Saviour’s soul? He had dropped silent tears 
at the grave of Lazarus ; here he wept aloud. 
All the shame of his mockery, all the anguish 
of his torture, was powerless, five days after- 
ward, to extort from him a single groan, or to 
wet his eyelids with one trickling tear; but 
here all the pity that was within him overmas- 
tered his human spirit, and he not only wept, 
but broke into a passion of lamentation, in 
which the choked voice seemed to struggle for 
its utterance. A strange Messianic triumph ! 
a strange interruption of the festal cries ! The 
238 


Triumphal Entry 


Deliverer weeps over the city which it is now 
too late to save. . . “If thou hadst known, 
even thou, at least in thy day, the things that 
belong unto thy peace ! ” . . . and there sor- 
row interrupted the sentence, and when he 
found voice to continue, he could only add, 
“but now they are hid from thine eyes. For 
the days shall come upon thee that thine 
enemies shall ... lay thee even with the 
ground, and thy children within thee ; and 
they shall not leave in thee one stone upon 
another, because thou knewest not the time of 
thy visitation.’ ” . . . 

“ ‘There had been a pause in the procession 
while Jesus shed his bitter tears and uttered his 
prophetic lamentation. But now the people in 
the valley of Kedron, and about the walls of 
Jerusalem, and the pilgrims whose booths and 
tents stood so thickly on the green slopes be- 
low had caught sight of the approaching com- 
pany, and heard the echo of the glad shouts, 
and knew what it meant. . . And tearing 
down the green and graceful branches, the 
people streamed up the road to meet the ap- 
proaching prophet. And when the two streams 
of people met . . . they left him riding in the 
midst, and some preceding, some following 
him, advanced, shouting “Hosannas” and 
waving branches, to the gate of Jerusalem.’ ” 
239 


Half=hours with the Christ 


“ Such was the triumphal entry of Jesus into 
Jerusalem,” said Mrs. Brown; “and yet it 
was interrupted by his burst of tears over the 
multitudes who rejected the messages of mercy 
and brought the city to woful destruction. 
What should it teach us all, but to be humble 
amid our best success?” 

Then their conversation turned to the won- 
derful movement in the church. We have 
spoken of the first meeting ; the second had 
increased the numbers, and the farmers were 
coming in from the surrounding neighborhood. 
A Sunday-school girl had brought her father, 
who at the close of the meeting said he had 
not been inside a church for thirty years. He 
then went into the study with the pastor and 
yielded himself up to be led, like a little child, 
into the kingdom. 

‘ ‘ There was, as you say, ’ ’ said Mrs. Brown, 
“much in that meeting to remind one of that 
triumphal procession. To see more than one 
hundred persons coming with such enthusiasm 
to welcome Christ to their hearts, and rising 
up to espouse his service, after these years of 
indifference, is surely cause for great joy. But 
while we were rejoicing with their coming, at 
the same hour there were far more gathered in 
the saloons and dens of sin in our town, than 
we saw rejoicing with Christ. Let us not exult 
240 


Triumphal Entry 


without some tears over the fact that many are 
plotting to crucify our Lord, not knowing the 
hastening doom of sin. ’ ’ 

Bob Jones was again here in the library. 
His trial was coming before another lesson. 
He expected, as he said he deserved, to be 
sentenced to the penitentiary before another 
meeting. Still he was full of gratitude that he 
had caught this glimpse of Jesus and his yearn- 
ing love for such prodigals. He was already 
planning in his mind his evening study of the 
life of Jesus when he should be shut in a cell. 
He thought, as Mrs. Brown spoke with tears of 
the young men in the saloons, how he had just 
commenced going with Tim Hughes to these 
evil resorts. Then a secret satisfaction came 
to his mind that he could take Christ with him 
to the penitentiary, while if he had continued 
his old life of sin at home, he would probably 
have been cut off without hope. 

As they adjourned the class, the Christian 
League members joined hands in a circle. 
They explained to Robert Jones what it meant, 
that as each one trusted Christ and sought now 
with all the heart to know and follow him, they 
joined hands as a pledge to help one another 
and take the same motto, “ Mounting Heaven- 
ward. ’ ’ 

“Will you join our circle, Robert?” said 
Q . 241 


Triumphal Entry 


Fannie Brown as she turned toward the boy 
who must the next day appear in court to an- 
swer the charge of housebreaking. 

The tears rolled down the cheeks of Robert 
as he stood in silence for a few moments, and 
then he answered, “This class has led me to 
know Jesus as a friend, and I long to follow 
him ; but nobody knows me as anything but 
Bob Jones, the thief; I am not fit to take your 
hands. ’ ’ 

Then Fannie and George went and led him 
to stand between them in the completed circle, 
while all repeated with a new enthusiasm : 

“We rise by the things that are under our feet, 

And the vanquished ills that we hourly meet.” 


242 


CHAPTER XXVI 


SENTENCED 

W HEN the little group of fast friends next 
met in the Bancroft library, two thieves 
had been tried and sentenced. Tim Hughes 
and Bob Jones had been brought into court. 

44 Timothy Hughes, guilty, or not guilty ? ” 
said the judge. 

Tim’s face had hardened while in jail with 
old criminals, and his eyes flashed with malice 
as he promptly said, “Not guilty.” 

Then the judge called up the other, 44 Robert 
Jones, guilty, or not guilty? ” 

Bob meekly arose and answered, 4 4 Guilty. ’ ’ 
The judge had known nothing concerning 
him, only that Banker Bancroft had bailed him 
out of jail. He heard the acknowledgment 
with surprise. He scanned Bob’s face in 
silence, as if studying his character, and then 
said: 44 This is an unusual case, that two are 
arraigned for the same offense, and one 
answers, guilty, and the other, not guilty. 
But we will proceed with the trial of Timothy 
Hughes. ’ ’ 

The evidence was complete and Tim received 
243 


Half=hours with the Christ 


his sentence as a hardened criminal at eight- 
een, and in irons he was taken to Columbus 
and locked within prison walls. 

Before sentence was pronounced upon Bob 
the judge had learned all the facts of his char- 
acter and penitence. His charge was full of 
sympathy and encouragement. He committed 
Bob for one year to the Reform Farm. Mr. 
Bancroft asked the privilege of taking him to 
the reformatory, as he was well acquainted with 
the superintendent and wished to tell him all 
about this case. The banker secured the 
privilege of delaying the journey another week, 
that Bob might get more strength from Bible 
study and from contact with the converts of 
the Christian League, whose enthusiasm to ful- 
fill their motto, “Mounting Heavenward,” 
knew no faltering. 

“Our last lesson stopped where Jesus was 
riding up to the foot of Mount Moriah,” said 
Mrs. Brown, as they sat about the table to re- 
sume the study of Christ’s passion week. 
“He did not reach the temple court until 
toward evening. He entered into the temple, 
and when he had looked about, it being now 
eventide, he went out to Bethany with the 
Twelve. Blessed Bethany, where Jesus found 
one hearthstone of peace around which loving 
friends welcomed him out of the darkness ot 
244 


Sentenced 


night ! But early morning found him return- 
ing to the temple. ’ ’ 

Then the class followed our Lord from day 
to day till he came to the cross. There was a 
solemn hush upon them unlike any other 
lesson. They questioned the teacher almost 
in a whisper. Back and forth they walked 
with the Master as, weary and hungry, often 
hunted and hounded by official spies, he went 
to those wonderful lessons in the temple dur- 
ing this last week. 

‘ ‘ What again was his first recorded act when 
Jesus returned to the temple that second 
day ? ’ ’ asked the leader. 

* ‘Cleansing the temple,” replied Barton 
Brown. “ And when before did we find Jesus 
performing this same symbolic act? ” 

“It was three years before,” said Amelia, 

* ‘ when he came to the first Passover to begin 
his public ministry. ” 

Then they talked together how this search- 
ing lesson of cleansing the temple, symbol of 
a clean, pure heart for Christ’s abode, began 
and ended his visits to Jerusalem. 

“On the way to the temple at early dawn 
that Monday morning,” said the leader, 
“Jesus with the disciples hungered. As they 
passed a fig tree having leaves but no fruit, our 
Lord took occasion to teach us a great truth. 
245 


Half=hours with the Christ 


It was Christ’s only miracle of judgment, and 
he graciously let that fall on a tree instead of 
upon the sinner, but it was full of prophecy of 
what must come to the fruitless pretender. 
The tree bearing nothing but leaves at once 
withered. ‘ He made it the eternal warning 
against a life of hypocrisy continued until it 
was too late.’ Instead of teaching that Jesus 
did not know that there was no fruit till he 
came to the tree with disappointment, it more 
clearly teaches that he knew what was in the 
heart of Judas that base pretender who walked 
by his side, and taught him, as every other 
hypocrite, that doom hastens. 

1 1 Little is recorded of Monday’ s teaching 
in the temple, more than its cleansing, except 
that the blind and the lame came to him and 
were healed. It was clearly a busy day ; why 
is so little recorded ? Was it not that we 
might see more clearly the lesson of the wither- 
ing fig tree ? On Tuesday morning as they re- 
turned to the temple, they tarried again beside 
the withered tree. When the disciples mar- 
veled at the sudden death of the tree at the 
word of Jesus, the Lord told them there was 
also here a lesson of faith, to expect great 
things in answer to believing prayer. 

“Tuesday was a wonderful day in Christ’s 
teaching. Parables of warning, woes upon 
246 


Sentenced 


hypocrites, answers of confusion to carping 
critics, words of entreaty to hesitating seekers, 
announcement of the uplifted cross and of the 
approaching doom of the city — all combine to 
make this the day of days in the recorded 
words of our Lord. But as evening came 
Jesus again turned toward Bethany. He 
climbed the mount of Olives and sat upon the 
grass looking back upon the city gilded by the 
setting sun. Four of the disciples came to 
him and here Jesus preached to this little group 
his most wonderful sermon. ’ ’ 

Then the class opened their Bibles to this 
other mountain discourse that Matthew so 
carefully records, ending with that vivid pic- 
ture of the great day when the Son of Man 
shall come in his glory, and all the angels with 
him. When one of the class asked if Jesus 
had only an audience of four when he uttered 
these wonderful words, Mrs. Brown continued : 

“ Turn to Mark and see that picture : ‘ And 
as he sat on the mount of Olives over against 
the temple, Peter and James and John and 
Andrew asked him privately,’ to explain to 
them more fully that wonderful day of his 
coming. This little group studying his life in 
this room until we are bound in new ties of 
love to our Lord, makes it more real. He 
had discourses for the crowds, but his greatest 
247 


Half=hours with the Christ 


lessons of love and light were given to single 
souls or little groups met as we are to-night. ’ * 

Then she read the twenty-fifth chapter of 
Matthew with its heart-searching lessons of the 
ten virgins, the talents used or buried, and the 
King on the throne welcoming to heaven the 
faithful, and dooming the thoughtless. Never 
before had these words such weight as when 
they saw the Lord uttering them to just such a 
little group of young disciples as themselves. 
So softly and tenderly did Mrs. Brown read 
the chapter that her words seemed to be drop- 
ping from the Master’s own lips; and hence- 
forth to them living to give only a cup of cold 
water in his name seemed more glorious than 
richest wealth or highest fame. 

Then they passed to Wednesday, but found 
no record of Jesus leaving Bethany. “ It must 
have been a day of quiet meditation in view of 
the awful days to follow, but possibly to give 
the people opportunity to think over the warn- 
ings and parables of Tuesday, ’ ’ said Mrs. Brown. 

They then sought for Jesus on Thursday, 
but found no special instruction till the even- 
ing supper. From that upper room, so rich 
in sacred memory, they followed Jesus out at 
midnight into the garden of Gethsemane. 
They sought not to lift that veil more than 
to read the words through tears. They went 
248 


Sentenced 


with Jesus through the mock trial, and saw 
him crowned with thorns and spit upon and 
smitten upon the face. They walked near by 
when he fainted beneath the heavy cross. At 
last they came to the scene where he was 
lifted up between two thieves. 

‘ ‘ Christ’ s seven sayings upon the cross, ’ ’ 
said Mrs. Brown, ‘*are the crowning glory of 
his character and teaching. The first word 
uttered amid that awful agony was his prayer, 

‘ Father, forgive them ; for they know not what 
they do.’ Well is it said : 

“ Great words of love were heard, 

Which many a bosom stirred, 

And more and more each circling year 
Have bowed the heart to hear.” 

Then they passed to that second saying on 
the cross, “Woman, behold thy son ! . . . 
Behold thy mother ! ’ ’ With tender pathos 
the leader spoke of Jesus forgetting his own 
agony to assure the kindly care of the dear 
mother who stood weeping at the cross. “The 
Christian son, ’ ’ said she, ‘ ‘ has often tenderly 
and affectionately cared for his aged mother, 
because of these gracious words of our Lord. 
He was dying, not only for sin’s atonement, 
but also to speak words that would awaken 
sympathy for all the world’ s sorrow. ’ ’ 

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Halfhours with the Christ 


Then they passed to the third saying, “Verily 
I say unto thee, this day shalt thou be with me 
in paradise.” As Mrs. Brown portrayed the 
two thieves crucified, one joining in the jeers 
of the scoffers and the other confessing his sin 
and praying for the kindly thought of his Lord, 
she touched every heart. The scene of the 
court-room the past week, when the judge 
sent Tim Hughes to the penitentiary, and then 
speaking words of sympathy and encourage- 
ment, put Robert Jones into the hands of 
Banker Bancroft to give him a year at the re- 
formatory under the best Christian care — all this 
illustrated the difference between penitent and 
impenitent thieves even at the bar of civil justice. 

Robert Jones now bowed his head upon the 
table and wept aloud. Never before had this 
scene of Jesus speaking these words to the 
penitent thief attracted his attention. He 
recalled how Tim Hughes had been led away 
in irons to be locked up in the penitentiary, 
and thought of his own privilege with these 
kind friends in Banker Bancroft’s pleasant 
home, and that Jesus was speaking words of 
forgiveness to his penitent heart. His faith 
had swept away the centuries and he felt that 
he was now standing beside the cross, and he 
himself the thief that was clinging to the gra- 
cious promise. 


250 


Sentenced 


They were all silent for a few moments, when 
Robert said : “ Mrs. Brown, is Jesus speaking 
these words to me ? * ’ 

“O Robert,” she replied, “I can almost 
hear his voice to-night. Never before have I 
seemed to stand so near Calvary and feel so 
assured that Jesus is now dwelling with us 
clothed in this sacred word ! ’ ’ Then the les- 
son ended by their forming the circle, repeating 
their poem, and singing the favorite hymn. 

That night Bob remained in the Bancroft 
mansion occupying the guest-chamber. In 
the morning when he awoke he recalled the 
scene in ‘ ‘ Pilgrim’ s Progress ’ ’ which he had 
read with his mother, when Christian was in 
the Palace Beautiful : “Thus they discoursed 
together till late at night, and after they had 
committed themselves to their Lord for pro- 
tection, they betook themselves to rest. The 
pilgrim they laid in a large upper chamber, 
whose window opened toward the sun-rising. 
The name of the chamber was Peace, where 
he slept till break of day, and then he awoke 
and sang : 

“Where am I now? Is this the love and care 
Of Jesus, for the men that pilgrims are, 

Thus to provide, that I should be forgiven, 

And dwell already the next door to heaven ! ” 


25 1 


CHAPTER XXVII 


IT IS FINISHED 

B EFORE this closing lesson Mr. Bancroft 
had returned from his visit with Bob to 
the reformatory. As they came into the 
library to begin study the banker told of his 
trip. Being personally acquainted with the 
superintendent, he had given him a complete 
account of Bob’s conversion, of his bright 
mind, his fair scholarship, and ardent desire 
for usefulness. 

“Robert’s manly face and modest bearing,” 
said Mr. Bancroft, “at once won the superin- 
tendent’s esteem. His trusted private clerk 
was just leaving, and Robert was needed for 
this important place. I left him fully installed 
in this post of honor, and his position will 
make him an inmate of the cultured Christian 
family of the superintendent. The boy is 
happy and useful, and the year will give him 
great improvement. ’ ’ 

“Had this trial occurred six months ago,” 
said Mrs. Brown, “before this little group of 
friends had joined hands to mount heaven- 
ward, I fear we could not have received this 
252 


It is Finished 


report. We can resume our study feeling 
that Jesus’ words to the penitent thief have 
been again spoken in our very midst. Instead 
of wearing the stripes of dishonor behind 
prison bars, Robert Jones has been lifted to a 
very paradise of happy and honored association 
in this refined family.” 

Another joy had come to Mrs. Brown the 
past week. Barton had been called to pass 
through a severe temptation since becoming a 
Christian. His schoolmates, knowing his old 
fiery temper, had planned to tease and anger 
him by calling him ‘ ‘ deacon, ” or “ parson. ’ ’ 
For several days his mother had noticed that 
Barton seemed distant and cold, and less in- 
terested in their home devotions. He was 
again more easily irritated over little annoy- 
ances. She had not known the trial that was 
vexing his new faith, but to him it was as 
fierce as the persecutions that led great saints 
to burn at the stake. 

But during the past week while they were 
studying the lesson of Jesus coming to the 
cross, Barton noticed for the first time the 
words of our Lord to Peter on that dark night 
of his denial : “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan 
hath desired to have you, that he may sift you 
as wheat ; but I have prayed for thee that thy 
faith fail not.” Again and again these words 
253 


HaIf=hours with the Christ 


kept coming up in Barton’s thoughts. One 
evening he retired early, in order to be alone 
in his gloom. He dropped upon his bed, al- 
most in malice toward his annoying school- 
mates. As he lay thinking that he would 
leave school and home, to go where nobody 
would know that he ever thought of being a 
Christian, the words of Jesus came so vividly 
to his mind, as if spoken to himself, ‘ * Barton, 
Barton, behold, Satan hath desired to have 
you , that he may sift you as wheat ; but I have 
prayed for thee that thy faith fail not. ’ ’ 

He at once recalled the sight of Tim 
Hughes led to the train in chains, with his 
wicked eye flashing revenge, while the sheriff 
hastened him off to the penitentiary. He 
thought of Bob Jones turning to the Saviour 
and confessing his sin, and then coming to 
Mr. Bancroft’s to join hands with Christian 
friends, every one trusting him again. Barton 
at once dropped upon his knees at the side of 
his bed to take up his neglected prayer. The 
Saviour’s words, “I have prayed for thee that 
thy faith fail not,” he could feel as a present 
reality. He thought of his deriding playmates, 
and prayed, “Father, forgive them, they know 
not what they do.” A new flood of joy came 
into Barton Brown’s soul, deeper than he had 
ever known. 


254 


It is Finished 


He lay down again upon the bed and called 
his mother. She came with anxiety. Then 
Barton told her all his struggle for the past 
several days and what a change had now come 
to his mind through these words of his 
Saviour. Then he asked her to forgive him 
that he had grieved her by bitter words that 
day. 

Then Mrs. Brown understood it all and told 
him that if he asked for patience to bear these 
words of sport, these very boys would soon 
come to respect him as they never had before. 
Then his mother prayed at his bedside that he 
might have strength for to-morrow’s tempta- 
tion and kissed him good-night. The next 
day his happy trust shone again in his face, 
and he returned from school a victor over the 
tempter and stronger than ever in his upward 
march. 

‘‘Our lesson,” said the leader, “was cut 
short last week, at Jesus’ third saying on the 
cross, by Robert Jones sobbing aloud that he 
was the thief to whom Jesus was now speaking 
those words. We must take time now to see 
that our Saviour then went down into an agony 
of soul too deep for our comprehension. The 
sun darkened at noonday, that the world 
might feel the awfulness of that hour. Then 
four other sayings fell from his lips : ‘ My 
255 


Half=hours with the Christ 


God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ? ’ 
‘I thirst.’ ‘It is finished.’ ‘Father, into 
thy hands I commend my spirit.’ As Jesus 
yielded up his spirit the earth quaked and the 
veil in the temple that concealed the holy of 
holies was rent in twain. As the darkness 
that had been over them for three hours passed 
away, they looked and Jesus was dead. The 
centurion in charge cried out, ‘ Truly this was 
the Son of God.’ 

“It was Friday afternoon and the next day 
was the Jewish Sabbath. When it was known 
to all that Jesus was now dead, Joseph of 
Arimathea, a rich man who had become a dis- 
ciple, went to Pilate ; and Nicodemus, who 
came to Jesus at the first Passover, went with 
him. These two secured an order for the 
body, and went and buried Jesus in a new 
tomb hewn out of the rock. As wise men 
came to worship at Bethlehem, so noblemen 
came to weep at his burial. 

“ But Jesus had said at the beginning of his 
ministry, ‘ Destroy this temple, and in three 
days I will raise it up,’ and had now for a 
whole year been plainly teaching that he must 
go unto Jerusalem and be killed and the third 
day rise again ; therefore his enemies set a 
watch about the tomb. That his friends might 
not take his body away, they put a seal on the 
256 


It is Finished 


door, to break which was death. Then the 
disciples waited through that long Sabbath, 
wondering what his oft-repeated words of 
‘ rising again ’ might mean. 

“But early on the first day of the week, 
when they came to the sepulcher, behold, the 
stone was rolled away, and the body of Jesus 
was not there. Quickly the news passed from 
one to another, and his most loving friends 
were hastening to see the empty tomb. And 
lo, Jesus met one and another and said, ‘All 
hail ! Fear not ; go tell my brethren they 
shall see me ! ’ ’ * 

Then this class that had followed Christ 
through these years of toil and teaching until 
they had come to trust in every trial, now 
drank in every word of the risen Lord with 
the same sweet sense of his presence as did 
the men on that first day, walking to Emmaus, 
who said one to another, “ Did not our heart 
burn within us while he talked with us by the 
way, and while he opened to us the Scrip- 
tures ? ’ ’ 

They followed on to the day of his ascen- 
sion, and listened with intense delight to the 
Master’s parting words, “I ascend to my 
Father and your Father,” “All power is given 
unto me in heaven and in earth,” “Ye are 
my witnesses,” “ Lo, I am with you alway, 
r 257 


Half=hours with the Christ 


even unto the end of the world,” “Tarry 
until ye be endued with power from on high.” 

“Now,” said Mrs. Brown, “let us take 
these closing words of Luke : ‘And he led 
them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up 
his hands and blessed them. And it came to 
pass, while he blessed them, he was parted 
from them and carried up into heaven, and 
they worshipped him. ’ ” 

Here the leader reversed the blackboard and 
presented the following outline of their pre- 
vious study : 

THE LIFE OF JESUS. 

His Character : Son of Man, Son of God, 
Lamb of God. 

His Mission : To reveal (i) A Perfect Hu- 
man Life ; (2) The True God ; (3) An Aton- 
ing Sacrifice. 

FIVE-FOLD DIVISION. 

1. From Birth to Baptism. 

2. From Baptism to First Passover. 

3. First year of Public Ministry, or from 
Cleansing the Temple to Bethesda, at Second 
Passover. 

4. Second year of Ministry, from Bethesda 
to Feeding the Five Thousand, the time of 
Third Passover. 

5. Third year of Ministry, from Announc- 

258 


It is Finished 


ing the “ eating his flesh ” to his Death and 
Resurrection. 

Remember, ‘ 1 White and Blue and Crimson 
Thread Years .' ’ 

Then after taking notes of this, Mrs. Brown 
and her class sat conversing of the happy 
changes that had come since first they met in 
this library to begin this study, only a few 
months ago. The past Sabbath had been 
Easter, and on that day Pastor Little had wel- 
comed one hundred and twenty-four new con- 
verts to his membership. The work had com- 
menced in this room by the faithful study of 
the life of Jesus. 

A great congregation meets every Tuesday 
evening in the church, in a service called 
“Half-hours with the Christ,” which is fol- 
lowed by Pastor Little’s “Personal Conver- 
sation Meeting.” Fannie Brown’s happy 
thought of a Christian League, composed of 
young converts with one aim, “ To know and 
follow Jesus,” and one motto, “Mounting 
Heavenward,” which began with two mem- 
bers, has widened to a great company, who 
often join hands in pledge of mutual help, as 
they 

Climb the ladder by which we rfse 
From the lowly earth to the vaulted skies. 

259 


Half=hours with the Christ 


George Bancroft has delayed going to Yale 
for another year, and has been appointed as- 
sistant principal of the high school. Fannie 
Brown has received the gift of a scholarship to 
complete her studies at Wellesley, when she 
chooses to go. But the “ shining heights” to 
which she now aspires to follow her ideal of 
excellence are not some dazzling pinnacle of 
worldly fame. They both long that hand in 
hand they may “ climb the steeps of the 
heavenly way. ’ ’ 


THE END 


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